Reasonable adjustments

At Salix Homes, we are committed to providing equal opportunities for all our customers. This means ensuring our customers’ needs are recognised and met. Where necessary, we will make reasonable adjustments where required for customers to access our services.

What is a reasonable adjustment?

A reasonable adjustment involves making a change to the way that we usually do things to ensure we can take account of individual needs. This could mean changing the way we communicate with you or making a physical change to a home.

This is to avoid or to correct a disadvantage to a person with a disability such as a mobility issues or being deaf.

How do we determine what is reasonable?

The Equality Act 2010 does not define what is ‘reasonable’ but guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission suggests that the most relevant points are:

• the effectiveness of the adjustment(s) in preventing or reducing the disadvantage for the individual
• the practicality for us to make the relevant adjustment(s)
• the availability of our resources including external assistance and finance
• any disruption to the service that making the relevant adjustment may cause

Types of reasonable adjustments we can offer

There are a number of adjustments we can make, such as:

• Assistive aids – audio newsletters, magnifiers for reading etc.
• Information in appropriate alternative formats – large print, coloured paper etc.
• Email or telephone preference to hard copy letters where appropriate
• Speaking clearly to our customers with the offer of additional time to cover issues they need to discuss
• Providing an interpreter, including sign language, when appropriate
• Arranging home visits for those who have particular mobility or mental health issues
• Providing services or appointment times to take account of medical needs or specials circumstances

Not all adjustments are included in the list, so if there is an adjustment you require please contact us to discuss your needs.

–  An adjustment will depend on an individual’s needs, as will the time it will take to apply it.

– We will discuss the requirement with the person concerned and seek to reach agreement on what may be reasonable in the circumstances.

– We will not make assumptions about whether a person with a disability requires any reasonable adjustments or about what those adjustments should be.

– We will always explain if we cannot make the adjustment as requested, but will look to provide a suitable compromise.

Monitoring

We will note any reasonable adjustments on our customer records, and any action we have taken. We will also state the time period that these will apply.