What to expect of our contractors
We have relationships with many contractors who provide services for maintaining our homes and supporting our residents. This code sets out our standards for partners when working within our homes and buildings.
Throughout this code we will refer to ‘the contractor’, meaning our supplier and everyone it employs, directly or indirectly. Each contractor will be given a copy of this Code of Conduct and is responsible for ensuring anyone visiting one of our homes has been trained on this code and is aware of its content. This training must be revisited at least every three months.
The contractor is responsible for ensuring equipment, materials and labour are ready so work can begin at the arranged time. Where work is delayed, the contractor is responsible for immediately letting you know, providing reasonable justification/explanation and rearranging when convenient.
Contractors will be neat and tidy, wear appropriate clothing (overalls or jackets, etc. with company name/logo) and an identification card (with an up-to-date photograph) must be clearly displayed on arrival at your home and while working. If this is a one-off piece of work, requirements must be explained to the resident in simple terms, and a time estimate given. Any equipment installed, for example boiler thermostats or window closures must be explained, demonstrated, and set up for your use.
Our contractor’s vehicles
Our contractor’s vehicles will be roadworthy, hold a valid MOT certificate, be fit for purpose, taxed and appropriately insured. Vehicles bearing Notting Hill Genesis’s logo/brand shall be used solely for undertaking work connected with the business. Operatives will hold an appropriate and valid driving license.
When vehicles are stationary the engine must be turned off as engine idling has significant impact on air quality in the local environment.
Behaviour in your home
How contractors must behave
The contractor must show respect to you and your home, be civil, courteous, and professional at all times. Racist, sexist, homophobic, ableist remarks or behaviour is completely unacceptable and contractors must not swear. While it’s fine to be friendly or chatty, enquiries should not be made regarding your relationship or family status where this is not first initiated by a resident. Contractors must not make attempts to contact you socially either before or after the appointment and must not give their personal contact details (including mobile number) or make contact via social network sites.
Privacy must be respected, for example, permission should be requested to go into your bedroom. In homes of care and support residents, access should be arranged with the local officer where possible.
Any information shared by you about yourself or another resident must remain confidential.
Where there are safeguarding concerns, these must be raised in line with Notting Hill Genesis’ safeguarding policy.
Whenever possible, work should be carried out when you or a Notting Hill Genesis colleague is present. Any other arrangement for keyholding or unaccompanied access should be discouraged, or if necessary, kept to a minimum. Holding keys to your property must always have your specific agreement.
Contractors are expected to be aware of situations where they may need a little extra sensitivity and care in their approach. This might be when they are carrying out works for customers who are older, customers with young children, shift workers or customers who are simply not feeling well, for example.
Negative comments must not be made about the general condition of a home or previous work completed. Remarks of this nature can cause needless alarm or offence and should be made only to a Notting Hill Genesis representative.
Ensuring safety in the home
Care must be taken where there are children, pets or vulnerable people to ensure safety by being mindful of sharp tools and toxic chemicals, for example. The contractor must not enter the home unless there is an adult present. Under no circumstances should a member of a contractor’s staff have any unsupervised contact with children in your home.
Work must not negatively impact your home, for example by making a mess or lots of unnecessary noise, such as the use of personal radios, or loud phone calls. Your belongings and floor coverings must be protected with dust covers where necessary and the work area must be thoroughly cleaned with any waste or rubbish and taken away. Contractors should be willing to remove shoes where safe to do so to respect cultural norms, or have shoe covers available. If your belongings need to be moved, the operative must give a reasonable amount of time for you to move them.
Materials and equipment must be stored safely and not obstruct walkways or doors. The home and communal areas must be kept secure and weather tight at all times. Scaffolding and ladders will be left securely to prevent unsafe access by children or others. Ladders between the ground or other easily accessible levels, or the first boarded level of scaffold, must be removed when not being used and secured away from access by others. This applies at night, weekends, holidays and during periods of the working day when the property is not supervised.
Any damage to your property caused by negligence by the contractor must be made good or compensated. We must be informed if this happens. If it is necessary to disconnect or interrupt services, this should be kept to a minimum and advance notice should be given to the resident.
Contractors must not use or move your belongings without permission, use your telephone or use your equipment to clean up. The electricity supply must only be used if necessary for work and then only with permission. Contractors should aim not to use the bathroom. If this becomes necessary, they must ask you if you are happy with this first.
Contractors must not make personal calls in your home. They must not smoke, eat or drink in your home, in communal areas or directly outside your property. Operatives must not request refreshments, though can are allowed to accept if offered. They must never be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.
Before leaving your home, the contractor should ensure you are informed and/or satisfied with the work completed. This means making sure the work that has been carried out is clearly explained, and that the your are clear about what happens next.
What should be reported?
If a contractor were to find any resident is behaving unreasonably, aggressively, or particularly impolitely, they may leave the home and refer this back to us.
If, in the course of an appointment, unforeseen works arise, this must be reported to our representative. Any complaints you share with the contractor must be passed on to our representative by that contractor.
Contractors must not attempt to influence tendering or accept gifts or arrangements of private work either for you or for our staff. If a contractor offers to carry out work privately, you must report this to us.
If your contractor fails to meet the expectations in this code of conduct, you can make a complaint via My Account or your local officer. You can find out more at www.nhg.org.uk/contact-us/complaints/.
