Hoarding under the spotlight in new NRLA courses

Hoarding is an issue for an estimated six per cent of the population, and with an estimated 4.5million people living in the private rented sector there is a chance that you could, at some point, house a tenant that is affected. Here, Senior Training Manager Alex Nolan talks about a new NRLA course on how you can help.

More than a million people in the country live with a hoarding condition, and with the private rented sector larger and growing faster than ever before, there is an increased chance that as a landlord, you could have a tenant who is, or becomes, a hoarder.

Indeed, when it comes to tenancy management, hoarding, or to give it its proper description hoarding disorder, has become one of the leading causes of repossession.

With a prevalence rate that is more than treble that of schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), hoarding disorder is largely unresponsive to medication.

Even where hoarders’ houses are cleared, there is a significantly high relapse rate without additional therapeutic input.

This is why we have developed a new course exploring the issue of hoarding and how you, as a landlord, can identify and address it.

Trauma-Informed Hoarding Training for Housing Professionals is a new course that is being developed with expert trainers exploring the reasons behind hoarding – and compassionate ways of dealing with the issue.

Delivered by Kayley Hyman, founder of training and consultancy firm Holistic Hoarding, - which also provides training for the NHS and The Chartered Institute of Housing – the course will share best practice and help landlords identify potential treatment and support.

Delegates will learn to identify early signs and different types of hoarding, understand the latest diagnostic criteria, and explore the role of tenancy governance in addressing hoarding.

The course will also cover treatment pathways, compassionate enforcement actions, and harm reduction strategies, highlighting the importance of multi-agency approaches, including hoarding task forces, to effectively manage and support individuals who hoard.

Mental Health in Housing

In addition to the new hoarding course, the NRLA is also running another new course Mental Health in Housing.

This will help private sector landlords identify common mental health disorders and develop strategies for prevention, intervention, and support – and includes a section on hoarding disorder.

Through interactive sessions, case studies, and practical exercises, attendees will learn strategies for supporting individuals experiencing these challenges and fostering inclusive, compassionate, and supportive environments.

In addition, the course will dedicate time to discussing the unique challenges and nuances of working in housing through the lens of mental health and well-being.

Social Housing

A similar course is also available to landlords working in the social sector, with a focus on the specific challenges faced by landlords operating in this space.

Details of the Mental Health in Housing course for social housing providers – including dates, times and how to book can be found here.

Both courses are delivered by expert trainers from Start Within, a training firm specialising in improving mental health in the workplace.

Support for landlords

Of course, it’s not only tenants who suffer with mental health problems. Letting homes can be stressful at the best of times, with long hours, 24-hour-a-day callouts, unending paperwork all taking a toll, with the Covid-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis still casting a long shadow.

Where can you go for help?

It is important to recognise when you’re feeling anxious, helpless or low and reach out to get the support you need for you and your tenants.

If you are struggling there are a number of organisations with teams of trained professionals who can help and support you, including Mind (0300 1233393) and the Samaritans (call 116123).

If you are struggling as a result of financial pressures there are also free debt advice charities that can help including Government-backed agencies including debt charity StepChange (call 0800 138 1111) and the Money Advice Service https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en (call 0800 138 7777).

Letting agents and other housing providers who may have concerns about their employees’ mental health can contact Start Within, for specialist training and support