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Orkney Islands Council Homelessness Service

Charter for Homeless People

IMAGE: The Orkney Islands Council crest and logo, with the words “ORKNEY ISLANDS COUNCIL”.

Orkney Islands Council provides a comprehensive service for homeless people.

Are you homeless or threatened with homelessness?

  • If you are homeless and have nowhere to stay, we can give you help and advice straightaway. One of our Homelessness Officers will see you the following day and will help you with your housing problem.

  • If you have somewhere to stay but have been told to leave or have to leave, a Homelessness Officer will interview you within three working days. If you can’t come to this interview, we will arrange another one for you as soon as we can.

  • Wherever possible, the same Homelessness Officer will deal with your case from start to finish (except when the officer is ill or on holiday). You will always know the name of the person dealing with your case and how to get in touch with them.

  • We will let you know whenever there is a development in your case.

  • We will make sure that you are told of your legal rights and given information about where else to go for independent advice and help with your case.

  • If we can’t give you a secure tenancy with the Council or housing association we will give you advice and help you to find other housing.

  • We will explain all decisions about your case to you carefully. If you are unhappy with our decisions, we will tell you:

    • How you can appeal against any decision.

    • Where you can get help with your appeal.

Interviews

  • You can bring a friend or a relative along to your interviews.

  • If you are trying to escape from violence or abuse, or if you feel threatened:

  • We will make sure that your fears and needs are taken into account when we are making our decision.

  • You can be interviewed by a member of staff who is the same sex as you, if this is what you would like. (We try to offer this choice to anyone, wherever possible).

  • You can be interviewed at our offices or if you prefer at another location such as at home.

  • If you have particular needs, we can arrange for you to get help, advice and assessment from the right people in other areas of the council and from other organisations.

What you can expect from us

  • We will listen to everything you tell us carefully.

  • We will treat you with respect.

  • We will treat your concerns with understanding.

  • We will be sensitive about anything personal you have to tell us.

  • We will make sure that we deal with you as we have promised in this Charter.

We will check regularly that the terms of the Charter are being carried out.

What we expect from you

  • Our staff should also be treated with respect.

  • Our staff should be able to do their jobs free from the threat or risk of violence or abuse. Threatening or abusive behaviour will not be tolerated.

Information

  • If you are a victim of domestic violence or abuse, please ask the Homelessness Officer for the Domestic Violence and Abuse information sheet.

  • This information is available, on request, in a range of formats such as audio format, Braille or large print. It can also be made available in other languages on request.

Contact Details

Address: Orkney Islands Council Homelessness and Advice Service, Council Offices, School Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NY.

Telephone: 01856873535.

E-mail: homeless@orkney.gov.uk

Website: https://www.orkney.gov.uk/

Office Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. In an emergency please contact: 07921582962. Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

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