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Sheltered housing tenants with registered social landlords are often being evicted because of a failure by professionals to share information. Craig Kenny reports

Sheltered housing specialists have warned that older people with dementia are being evicted from sheltered housing because their needs have been incorrectly assessed.

A consortium of social housing providers – the Emerging Role of Sheltered Housing – claims that seven tenancies with four registered social landlords in London broke down within a month after each tenant’s behaviour became bizarre or antisocial.

However, Meic Phillips, chair of the consortium’s good practice group, insists evictions are a last resort for registered social landlords.
He says: “Where an eviction takes place, the matter moves to the homelessness services and temporary accommodation or, in some extreme cases, people go to the street or slip away from local provision to family or friends. But, more often, the process of seeking eviction and the recognition that a person’s home is at risk can bring appropriate resources into the life of the individual.”

The failure of social care, health and housing providers to share information about prospective tenants often lies at the heart of the problem, Phillips says.

“Sometimes, issues about disclosure of true needs and mental health conditions by social services to housing professionals may result in breakdowns of tenancies,” he says.

“Often, an older people’s team, instead of a mental health team, may deal with people once they reach retirement age and they may not have access to medical information.”

Specialist dementia teams are best suited to intervening early on to prevent a tenancy breaking down, Phillips adds.

He suggests that, for people with more complex needs, extra care housing or specialist residential care may be more appropriate.

But the need to fulfil agreements between registered social landlords and local authorities can sometimes lead to corners being cut, he warns.

“Local authorities may be allocating to registered social landlords or their own stock without knowledge of individuals’ behavioural histories,” Phillips says. “Nomination agreements and the rush to fill empty properties may not be conducive to landlords conducting effective assessments. There’s often exasperation in sheltered housing that people who are allocated don’t come with support.”


Gwen Hassell, membership secretary of the National Wardens Association, says pressure is sometimes applied to sheltered housing providers to make inappropriate placements.

“I have one 56 year old with mental health needs who I feel we are being harassed into offering a flat by her, her social workers and her advocates,” she says. “But I am not sure a woman of that age would be happy among people whose average age is 78. It might compound her problems.”

Hassell argues that social services need to recognise that wardens can often have a valuable input into ensuring that sheltered tenancies are successful.

She says: “Wardens see the tenant 24/7, often more than their own family do. But social workers can
be quite dismissive of us as we are not medically trained. They need to trust us. Housing is only just being recognised as part of the jigsaw. We should be involved in case conferences.”

Phillips agrees that social workers “miss a trick” if they walk past the warden’s office and fail to engage with them when making
an assessment.

“Wardens see any behavioural or physical changes, and may know about any coping strategies the tenant may have,” he says.
He identifies several areas where practice could be better, as well as the sharing of information and understanding of the rules around confidentiality.

“Management of medication, community psychiatric services and appropriate care plans where the warden is actively engaged as a significant service in the life of the individual are all areas where practice can be improved.

“The Supporting People initiative may join all these dots, but some are still being missed.” CC