Help us shape our new Learning and Development policy. As a thank you for your time, you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 voucher of your choice.
We want to make sure our teams have the right skills, knowledge, and behaviours to provide excellent service. As part of this, we are updating our Learning and Development Policy to reflect the new Competence and Conduct Standard. Your feedback is crucial in helping us shape:
- How we train and support our teams
- The expectations we set for how our teams and contractors work with residents
- How we manage appraisals and poor performance from our teams and contractors
You can find out a bit more about why we are doing this consultation below, and, we would like if you could take a few minutes to share your views by answering the questions via our online form below. Please ensure all responses are in by 15 April 2026.
As a thank you for your time, you’ll be entered into our prize draw. One resident will receive a £100 voucher of their choice, and another will receive a £50 voucher of their choice.
All responses will be kept confidential and used solely to improve our services.
Next steps
Once we’ve received all your responses, we’ll analyse the results and use your feedback to help shape the updated policy. We’ll share an initial summary of the results on our website and in Havebury Highlights. The updated policy will then be shared with our Resident Experience Committee and Board for consideration. Once approved, we’ll share the final policy on our website.
Hi, I’m Matt Price, the Assistant Director of People and Organisational Development here at Havebury Homes. From October 2026, housing providers will need to follow the Competence and Conduct Standard, which has been introduced by the Regulator of Social Housing.
This standard was developed following a review into the Grenfell Tower fire. From this, it was identified that residents didn’t always feel listened to, complaints were sometimes mishandled, and the behaviour of housing organisations and their staff wasn’t always professional.
What this means in practice
- Teams should have the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours to deliver good quality services.
- We need to adopt a written workforce policy which covers learning and development, appraisals and managing poor performance.
- Adopt a code of conduct for teams and ensure this is embedded across the organisation.
- Give residents meaningful opportunities to influence and scrutinise both the policy and code of conduct
- Make sure the relevant senior staff have the correct qualification requirements.
The aim is simple: to make sure residents receive a reliable, respectful service and feel safe and supported in their homes.
What we’re already doing
- Training and supporting our teams has always been a priority. Many colleagues already hold professional qualifications or are working towards them, and we continue to invest in their development.
- We’ve already introduced mandatory training in areas such as supporting vulnerable residents and customer service, which was delivered to everybody, regardless of their role.
- We’re also improving the information we hold so we can better understand residents’ needs and tailor services where appropriate.
- Resident feedback tells us that you value our teams highly. You’ve described colleagues as patient, hardworking, and reassuring, which is something we’re really proud of.
- But we also know from this feedback that the service from some contractors doesn’t always feel the same. The Competence and Conduct Standard applies to contractors as well, and we are committed to improving consistency wherever needed.
Code of conduct
As part of the new standard, housing organisations must have a Code of Conduct. This sets out the behaviours and standards residents should expect from everyone working for or representing the organisation, including contractors.
We follow the National Housing Federation Code of Conduct, which is widely used across the sector.
In summary, our teams are expected to:
Treat residents with respect and professionalism.
- Be fair, polite, and helpful in all interactions.
- Listen to residents’ views and consider them when making decisions.
- Act professionally and avoid conflicts of interest.
Act with honesty and integrity
- Follow clear rules about handling money or gifts.
- Always work in line with policies and procedures.
Continue learning and improving
- Take part in training and development to keep skills up to date.
- Be open to feedback and participate in regular performance reviews.
- Take responsibility for improving personal knowledge and performance.
A clear Code of Conduct ensures residents receive a professional, respectful, and consistent service every time.
Written by Lauren Eden