Welcome to our Glossary of housing terms:
We’ve created this Glossary to help guide you through some of the terms commonly used in housing. You can view the full list below, or tap on a letter to see all the words beginning with that letter.
You can also tap on or hover over some of the words on our website to view their definitions from our Glossary.
As always, if there’s anything you’re unsure about, please feel free to get in touch. You can tap here to see our contact details.
Browse our Glossary:
Explore the full list of definitions below, or choose a letter to view words that start with it.
Accessibility
Making sure our services, information and contact routes can be used by everyone, including people with disabilities, sensory impairments, language needs or lower confidence. This includes accessible formats, clear communication, and reasonable adjustments.
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adaptations
Works carried out to make an existing home more suitable for people with disabilities or mobility problems.
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Affordable Rent
Affordable Rent is a type of social housing where the rent is generally higher than Social Rent but lower than renting a similar home from a private landlord. The amount charged is usually linked to local market rents and can be up to 80% of the rent for a comparable private rented home.
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antisocial behaviour
Behaviour that causes serious nuisance to a person or household in and around their home. You can tap here to learn more on our dedicated antisocial behaviour page.
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Asbestos
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral found in rock. It was used in building products in the UK, particularly during the 1960s and 1970s, because it’s a very strong and heat/chemical-resistant material. The use of asbestos was stopped in 1999, but any building built before 2000 may still contain it. Asbestos is only dangerous if it gets damaged or disturbed. You can tap here to learn more about asbestos.
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Assisted Digital
Practical help for customers who want to use online services but need support (for example help to set up an account, upload documents, or complete a form). It means digital with support, not 'digital only'.
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Bolton Care and Repair
Bolton Care and Repair is Bolton Council’s Home Improvement Agency that is delivered in partnership with us. The service is here to help older and vulnerable residents to live independently in safe, warm, secure, well maintained, and adapted homes.
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Building Safety Regulator
Regulates compliance with building safety requirements, focusing on the safety and management of higher-risk residential buildings.
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Careline
Careline is our 24/4, 365-day a year community alarm service that supports around 7,000 customers to live independently in their own homes. It can support people of all ages, people with disabilities or long term illnesses, those experiencing domestic abuse, or just provide extra reassurance. You can tap here to learn more about Careline and see pricing details.
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Charity Commission
Where a registered housing provider is also a charity, the Charity Commission provides regulatory oversight of charity governance, trustee responsibilities, financial stewardship and compliance with charity law, complementing the Regulator of Social Housing's oversight of governance and viability.
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choice-based lettings
A system that allows social landlords to advertise properties online so that those who have registered and fit the criteria can 'bid' for available properties.
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Co-design
Working with customers to shape services and decisions from the start, not only asking for feedback once plans are already made. Co-design includes testing ideas, improving drafts, and agreeing what 'good' looks like together.
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Customer
Anyone who receives or uses our housing and support services, including tenants and residents. Where we mean a specific group (e.g., tenants, leaseholders, residents, people in our communities), we will state that explicitly.
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Customer Experience
How customers experience us end-to-end across all contact and services, including ease of access, clarity of communication, how we treat people, how we resolve issues, and whether Outcomes improve. It includes how people feel at key points, not only service timescales and targets.
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Customer Journeys
The full paths customers take to get something done, from first contact through to resolution and follow-up. 'End-to-end' means looking across teams and hand-offs, so the customer does not have to repeat information, and problems are fixed at the root cause.
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Customer Promise
A customer promise sets the experience we aim to deliver; Service Standards translate that promise into practical behaviours and measurable expectations.
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Customer Voice
What customers tell us (directly or indirectly) about their needs and experiences, using feedback, complaints, surveys, engagement, Scrutiny and Lived Experience. Customer voice is used alongside data to shape decisions and improve services.
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Digital Exclusion
When people cannot easily use online services due to access (devices/connection), affordability, skills, confidence, or accessibility barriers. Digital Inclusion is the work we do - often with partners - to reduce these barriers so customers can choose digital options if they want to.
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Direct Debit
With a Direct Debit, you give a business permission to automatically collect bill payments - such as your rent - at set times. They’re then taken from your account on specific dates.
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disadvantage
The barriers or unequal starting points that make it harder for some people to access services, be heard, or achieve good outcomes. Disadvantage can be caused by personal circumstances, system design, or wider social and economic factors.
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Diversity
The range of differences in people’s backgrounds, identities, characteristics and lived experiences. Diversity describes who our customers and colleagues are and the variety within our communities.
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Early Intervention
Acting early to reduce risk and prevent problems escalating, rather than waiting for crisis. This includes spotting warning signs (through contact, data and insight) and offering timely support or adjustments.
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emergency repair
These are repairs that could result in an immediate risk to the property or people. For example, an uncontrollable leak or exposed wiring. Tap here for more details in our Repairs Policy.
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Energy Ombudsman
Provides independent resolution of complaints relating to energy and heat network services, helping to ensure social housing residents receive fair treatment and appropriate redress where service issues arise.
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Equality
Ensuring people are not treated unlawfully or unfairly because of a protected characteristic, and that everyone has access to services and opportunities. Equality is often supported through reasonable adjustments and fair decision-making.
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Equity
Fairness in outcomes, recognising that different people may need different levels or types of support to get to a good outcome. Equity is not 'special treatment'; it is removing avoidable barriers and tailoring our approach proportionately.
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Fire Risk Assessment
A Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) is a report on the fire hazards within the communal areas of a building, as well the external walls and materials used. It’s carried out by an independent fire safety expert annually and explains the key safety measures in place and identifies any potential fire safety risks.
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fly-tipping
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of items. Anyone who fly-tips waste - or has someone fly-tip on their behalf - could face a £600 fixed penalty notice or an unlimited fine. You can tap here to learn more about fly-tipping and how to report it.
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Health and Safety Executive
Regulates compliance with health and safety legislation, overseeing the management of risks to residents, employees, contractors, and the public, and complements the Building Safety Regulator's focus on higher-risk residential buildings.
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Home Contents Insurance
Insurance that covers damage to, or loss of, a person’s possessions in their home. This insurance is purchased by the resident, not the landlord.
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Housing Ombudsman
Provides independent oversight of complaints handling by social housing landlords, investigating complaints, identifying service failures, and promoting learning and improvements to landlord services and resident outcomes.
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Inclusion
Creating services and ways of working where people can participate, be heard, and access support without avoidable barriers. Inclusion is what we do in practice to ensure diversity is valued and equality and equity are delivered.
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Information Commission
Covers data protection and information rights.
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Internal Customers
Colleagues and teams who rely on each other’s support, processes and information to serve external customers well. Focusing on internal customers means improving systems, tools, clarity and culture so staff can do the right thing first time.
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Lived Experience
Insight based on people’s real experiences of our homes and services, including what worked well, what caused difficulty, and what mattered most to them. Lived experience evidence complements data and performance measures.
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Local Authorities
Local Authorities regulate and enforce a range of housing, environmental, planning, and safety requirements that apply to social housing landlords.
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Money Advice Team
Through our Money Advice Team, we offer confidential and independent advice on a full range of money matters for anyone living in a Be One Homes property. If you think they could help you or somoene you know - they probably can. You can tap here to learn more about our Money Advice Team.
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No Mow May
No Mow May is an annual initiative that encourages homeowners and communities to stop mowing their lawns during May. This allows wildflowers such as daisies, dandelions, and clovers to bloom, providing essential nectar and pollen for early-season pollinators like bees, butterflies, and other insects. Even small patches of unmown grass can contribute significantly to improving local biodiversity.
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Office for Product Safety and Standards
The UK’s national product regulator, part of the Department for Business and Trade. Its primary purpose is to protect people and places from product‑related harm and to ensure consumers and businesses can buy and sell products with confidence.
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OFGEM
Regulates energy and heat network compliance, ensuring consumer protection and service standards for residents connected to landlord-operated heat networks.
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Outcomes
The changes or benefits customers experience (for example a tenancy sustained, improved safety, reduced arrears, or better wellbeing).
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Outputs
The activities we deliver (for example number of calls answered, visits completed, or referrals made).
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Parliament and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)
The UK government ministerial department responsible for housing, planning, communities, and local government in England. It sets legislation, policy, and direction for registered providers of social housing.
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reasonable adjustments
Changes we make to remove or reduce disadvantage for a person with a disability (or related need), so they can access services on a fair basis. Adjustments are tailored to the individual and may relate to communication, processes, timescales, or how we provide services.
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Regulator of Social Housing (RSH)
The Regulator of Social Housing sets Consumer and Economic and standards that each housing provider social housing must comply with.
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Representativeness
How well the customers involved in engagement and scrutiny reflect the wider customer base, including different backgrounds, tenures, neighbourhoods, needs and experiences. Improving representativeness helps ensure decisions are informed by a broad range of voices.
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Resident Voices Channel
As a member of our Resident Voices Channel (RVC), you can give your opinion to improve the services you get from us, suggest new ideas, and get rewarded with free high street shopping vouchers. You can tap here to learn more about our Resident Voices Channel and how to join.
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RPEEP
An RPEEP (Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) is a personalised evacuation plan for anyone who may find it difficult to leave their home quickly during a fire or other emergency. As lifts cannot be used during a fire, it’s important that anyone who may struggle with STAIRs has a clear, safe plan in place.
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Safeguarding
Protecting people’s right to live safely and preventing abuse or neglect. In a housing context, this includes recognising concerns, responding appropriately, and working with partner agencies where there is risk of harm.
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Scrutiny
Customer-led review and challenge of services, performance and decisions, with clear routes to influence improvement and provide assurance to governance bodies.
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service charge
A service charge is a cost for a service provided to your home that is shared with other properties in your block or on your estate. In some cases, service charges can be personal to you. Service charges and their costs are unique to your block or estate. Each block or estate will have services that are necessary to maintain your property and/or any communal areas. Tap here to learn more about service charges.
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Service Standards
The clear commitments we make about how customers should be treated and what they can expect (for example responsiveness, clarity and follow-through).
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Social Rent
Social Rent is a type of social housing with rents set using a government-approved formula rather than local market rents. It is usually lower than affordable rent and is often around 50% to 60% of local market rents, helping to keep homes affordable for people on lower incomes.
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STAIRs
The Social Tenants Access to Information Requirements (STAIRs) give social housing tenants the right to access information about how their homes and services are managed. You can tap here to learn more about STAIRs and access information available through the scheme.
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Tenancy Sustainment
Support that helps customers maintain their tenancy and avoid eviction, including early help with arrears, wellbeing, safety, property condition, and practical barriers that can lead to crisis.
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Tenant Satisfaction Measures
Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) are a set of 22 performance indicators required by the Regulator of Social Housing in England, designed to help tenants hold landlords to account. These measures, which cover repairs, safety, and complaints, are reported annually to improve transparency. You can tap here to view our latest TSMs results.
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Vulnerability
Circumstances that increase the risk of harm, exclusion or poor outcomes, or reduce someone’s ability to access services without support. Vulnerability is often situational and can change over time; it does not mean lack of capacity.
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