Decoration Allowance Policy - Section 3
3. Principles
3.1 The overall aim of the Decoration Allowance Policy is to assist tenants with the cost of decorating their home and, in doing so, to assist in the efficient and effective maintenance of the Council's housing stock
3.2 Decoration allowances are intended as a contribution towards the cost of materials and equipment needed to carry out internal redecoration work. Decoration allowances are intended to allow tenants choice in the decoration of their home. The allowances are not intended to meet the full costs involved.
3.3 The award of a decoration allowance does not remove the need for tenants to adequately insure the contents of their homes from damage.
3.4 The award of a decoration allowance does not remove the need for staff, carrying out work on behalf of the Council, to take adequate care to ensure that damage does not occur.
3.5 The Council will ensure the promotion of equal opportunities by publishing information and documentation in different formats/languages as required. The Council will ensure that no individual is discriminated against on the grounds of sexual or marital status, on racial grounds, or on grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation, language or social origin, or other personal attributes, including beliefs, or opinions, such as religious beliefs or political opinion. All communication with tenants or other customers will be in 'plain language' and it will be made clear who the most appropriate person is to contact in the event of a query. The Council will make appropriate arrangements for communicating with tenants and other customers who have special needs such as people with sight, hearing or learning difficulties, for example by using signers.
3.6 The Council will implement detailed procedures and agreed practices uniformly across the Housing Service for issuing and managing decoration allowances, and will ensure that staff will be given necessary training to support the Decoration Allowance Policy and procedures.