MYMHA Tenant Portal

Domestic Abuse Support

Manningham Housing Association would like to give you all the support you might need. You can find below support and advice channels, and you can contact Prafula on 07967128055 – Monday to Friday office timing.

Where to get help

If you believe you are being abused or worried you may commit domestic abuse, read the Domestic abuse: get help during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak detailed guidance on how to get help which includes contact information for organisations and services which offer support and advice.

If you are in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police – the police will continue to respond to emergency calls.

If you suspect that your neighbours or those in your community are victims of domestic abuse, we encourage you to report it to the police.

If you are in danger and unable to talk on the phone, dial 999 and listen to the questions from the operator and respond by coughing or tapping the handset if you can (If you are in danger, you will be asked to dial “55). Click here for the guidelines.

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The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is run by Refuge and offers free, confidential support 24 hours a day to victims and those who are worried about friends and loved ones.

Telephone:
0808 2000 247

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Women’s Aid has a live chat service and an online survivor’s forum. You can also find your local domestic abuse service on their website.

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The Men’s Advice Line is a confidential helpline for male victims of domestic abuse and those supporting them.

Telephone:
0808 801 0327

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Galop runs the National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse helpline.

Telephone:
0800 999 5428

Email:
help@galop.org.uk

Link

Chayn provides online help and resources in a number of languages about identifying manipulative situations and how friends can support those being abused.

01535 210 999

9 am –5 pm

080 8 2800 999

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Imkaan is a women’s organisation addressing violence against black and minority women and girls.

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Stay Safe East provides advocacy and support services to disabled victims and survivors of abuse.

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SignHealth provides domestic abuse service support for deaf people in British Sign Language (BSL).

Text or WhatsApp/FaceTime:
07970 350366

da@signhealth.org.uk

Call:
020 3947 2601

Link

If you are concerned about how coronavirus may affect your finances and leave you vulnerable to economic abuse, please see the advice provided by HM Treasury on what support is on offer.

The charity Surviving Economic Abuse has also provided additional guidance and support.

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SafeLives is providing guidance and support to professionals and those working in the domestic abuse sector, as well as additional advice for those at risk.

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If you are concerned that you or someone you know may be an abuser, there is support available. Respect is an anonymous and confidential helpline for men and women who are harming their partners and families. The helpline also takes calls from (ex)partners, friends and relatives who are concerned about perpetrators.

Telephone:
0808 802 4040

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The NSPCC helpline is available for advice and support for anyone with concerns about a child.

Telephone:
0808 800 5000

Email:
help@nspcc.org.uk

Link

Childline provides help and support to children and young people.

Telephone:
0800 1111

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Barnardo’s provide support to families affected by domestic abuse.

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Family Lives provide support through online forums.

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Rights of Women provide guidance about child contact arrangements relating to COVID-19.

Read more about it here domestic abuse leaflet

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If you are concerned about domestic abuse, we know it can be hard to find support. That’s why Bright Sky was developed.

Bright Sky is a safe, easy to use app and website that provides practical support and information on how to respond to domestic abuse. It is for anyone experiencing domestic abuse, or who is worried about someone else.

Bright Sky helps you to spot the signs of abuse, know how to respond, and help someone find a safe route to support you.

Download Bright Sky today because you never know when you might need it to save someone’s life.

Bright Sky is here for anyone in an abusive relationship, or if you’re worried about someone else. Our directory of services will help you to find local and national support services and you can also find out how to spot the signs of domestic abuse.

Bright Sky is also available as an app via the App Store or Google Play. Only download the app if it is safe for you to do so and if you’re sure that your phone isn’t being monitored.

Rehab 4 Addiction was founded to assist those affected by substance misuse and their loved ones. This includes alcohol rehab, drug rehab, detox services, intervention, aftercare and outpatient counselling

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For more advice and guidance on domestic abuse, please see Domestic abuse: how to get help.

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Income Team

Your rent pays for most of the services you receive from MHA. We know that getting into financial difficulty can lead to sleepless nights, but help is available if you’re struggling.

Meet your Income Team

Please click the button below to learn more about our income team members.

Meet the income team

What to expect from the Income Team

  • Contact you if your rent account goes into arrears. Contact ranges from telephone calls, text messages, emails, letters and home visits.
  • Offer advice and support where needed and make referrals to our in-house Benefit Officer. Visit our Money & Benefits page for more info.
  • Make arrangements to repay arrears depending on your circumstances.
  • We will show compassion and understanding.
  • We will be firm at times but always fair in our approach.
  • We can sign post you to the relevant agencies who can help you with budgeting skills and provide you with money advice. Visit: www.stepchange.org. Visit: www.citizensadvice.org.uk.

Please download our Rent Arrears policy for a full breakdown of our process of Income Collection.

PDF

Rent Collection & Rent Arrears Policy

Download

Rent collection

Rent collection is important for Manningham Housing Association. For every £1 we generate as an organisation 89p is from the rent. Here’s why it matters:

  1. Providing the vital services: Rent money keeps us providing the services that matter to you such as repairs and maintenance.
  2. Customer Trust: When we collect rent on time, it shows our customers that we are vibrant and trusting organisation.
  3. Risk Management: If people don’t pay rent, it can hurt us financially and legally. By collecting rent well, we avoid these risks.

So, collecting rent isn’t just about money. It’s about keeping our business strong and our customers happy. That’s why it’s a big deal for us.

At Manningham Housing Association we have a dedicated Income Team to ensure rent is collected on time but also at the same time offer the support and advice individuals need in the event of financial hardship or maximising Income.

MHA internal help and advice

If you are finding it difficult to make your rent payments or are suffering financial difficulties because of your current financial situation, we can offer you support to help you maintain your rent account in order and help in claiming any benefits to which you may be entitled via our dedicated Benefit Support Officer.

Please contact the Income Team on 01274 771144 between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm to discuss your rent account and how we can support you.

For further information on our process for rent collection & rent arrears please refer to:

PDF

Rent Collection & Rent Arrears Policy

Download

Customer service standards

This section covers our rent service standards. If you are worried about paying your rent on time, please get in touch with a member of our Income Management team as soon as possible and we will provide you with support.

Please note: Our Income team responds to requests for refunds within 28 days.

Housing benefit

If you are struggling to pay your rent because you are on a low income or are unemployed, you may be entitled to housing benefit. However, to start this process, you will need to submit a claim form to Bradford Council’s Housing Benefits team.

If you need help or advice on: applying for housing benefit, appealing overpayments, suspended hb, hb that has been stopped or if there is a shortfall due to non-dependant deductions, bedroom tax or benefit cap, contact a member of our Income team and we will be happy to help.

Arrears

If you fail to pay your rent, we will:

  • Contact you to talk about your rent arrears.
  • Offer you advice and support, to try and come to an arrangement with you about how you will clear the debt.
  • Offer welfare advice and suggest ways to maximise your income.
  • Check you are getting the right amount of housing benefit if you are already claiming.

In most cases, we will be able to help you, and by taking early action you may be able to avoid court proceedings and extra costs.

We are reluctant to take legal action and will only do so if necessary. Talk to us if you are worried. If you are finding it hard to pay your rent, please contact a member of our Income team who are committed to supporting customers who may be in difficulty.

The sooner you contact us the sooner we can help you to sort it.

Legal action

Legal action may include county court judgments, possession orders or even eviction from your home. This process would be stopped if you pay your rent and maintain your arrangement to clear arrears.

If you end your tenancy owing rent arrears, you will be referred to our specialist team who will arrange with you to clear the debt. If the property is left abandoned, our team will take action to trace you to recover the debt.

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