Curriculum
Course: Supporting Vulnerable Customers in Prope...
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Curriculum

Supporting Vulnerable Customers in Property Transactions – England

Module 1 - Understanding Customer Vulnerability

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Module 2 - Equality, Fair Treatment and Reasonable Adjustments

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Module 3 - Referral Fees and Third-Party Services

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Module 4: Equality, Diversity and Supporting Vulnerable Customers

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Module 5 - Safeguarding and Responding to Customer Welfare Concerns

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Module 6 - Fire Safety and Emergency Procedures

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Module 7 - Lone Working, Personal Safety and Incident Reporting

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Lesson 8 - Incident Reporting, Review and Employee Support

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Text lesson

Lesson 1 – Vulnerability and Safeguarding

1.1 What is vulnerability?

Vulnerability describes circumstances that may make it more difficult for someone to:

  • Access a service;
  • Understand information;
  • Communicate effectively;
  • Protect their own interests;
  • Manage documents or deadlines;
  • Cope with a property transaction; or
  • Make or communicate decisions.

A customer may be vulnerable because of:

  • Disability;
  • Illness;
  • Bereavement;
  • Financial hardship;
  • Domestic abuse;
  • Language difficulties;
  • Digital exclusion;
  • Homelessness risk; or
  • Another significant event.

Vulnerability does not necessarily mean that abuse, neglect or immediate danger is present.

1.2 What is safeguarding?

Safeguarding involves protecting a person’s right to live safely and free from abuse and neglect.

The Care Act framework for adult safeguarding is particularly concerned with an adult who:

  1. Has needs for care and support, whether or not those needs are currently being met;
  2. Is experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing, abuse or neglect; and
  3. Because of those needs, is unable to protect themselves from the abuse, neglect or risk.

Adult safeguarding is widely described as everyone’s responsibility, although local authorities have the statutory responsibility for safeguarding enquiries under the Care Act framework.

1.3 Vulnerability compared with safeguarding

Vulnerability Safeguarding concern
A customer struggles to use an online form Another person prevents the customer from accessing their own documents
A bereaved seller needs additional time A relative pressures the seller to transfer sale proceeds
A tenant has limited English The tenant appears to be controlled or exploited by another person
A landlord is experiencing financial hardship Someone is taking money from the landlord without permission
A customer has a disability The customer is being abused or neglected and cannot protect themselves
A tenant is anxious about arrears The tenant threatens immediate self-harm

A vulnerability may become a safeguarding concern if there is evidence or reasonable suspicion of abuse, neglect, exploitation or serious danger.

1.4 Safeguarding adults and children

This module primarily concerns adult customers. However, property staff may also encounter concerns involving children during:

  • Property visits;
  • Viewings;
  • Inspections;
  • Repairs;
  • Evictions;
  • Reports of domestic abuse; or
  • Overcrowding and unsafe conditions.

Children who see, hear or experience the effects of domestic abuse are recognised as victims in their own right under the domestic abuse framework.

Any concern involving a child should be referred immediately under MyEstate’s safeguarding procedure. Employees should not attempt to investigate the child’s circumstances themselves.

1.5 Safeguarding principles

An appropriate response should be:

  • Person-centred;
  • Proportionate;
  • Timely;
  • Respectful;
  • Secure;
  • Properly recorded;
  • Focused on safety; and
  • Within the employee’s role and authority.

Lesson 1 key point

Not every vulnerable customer is experiencing abuse, but every credible sign of abuse, neglect or serious danger must be taken seriously.