Working on behalf of tenants

First check that this is something the tenant needs your direct help on (ie, that they can’t do it themselves with a bit of coaching from you on what to say or do).

• Have all the facts and history of the situation from the tenant’s perspective, including documentation the tenant has.
• Be clear about the legal/contractual position including rights and responsibilities of both sides (eg use the Aratohu). 
• Plan out with the tenant what you are going to say and want from the conversation – this should be realistic and achievable. You may have to talk with the tenant about this first, as what they want may not actually be realistic.
• Anticipate what other options may be available to the third party or considered by them and/or anticipate what other results may come from this phone call / interaction.
• Define what role your organisation will take, and what role the tenant will take – be clear about expectations so the tenant does not expect more than what you are able to do.
• Make sure you have their expressed permission to work on their behalf. That is, tell the tenant what you are doing and check that they are ok with this before you do it.

• Explain who you are and the name of your organisation.
• Explain that you are working on behalf of the tenant and that you have their permission to discuss this situation.
• Have the tenant there to confirm their permission if required. This could be by putting the phone on ‘speaker’ or handing it to them.
• Ask to speak to the relevant person (refer below for tips on who to ask for).
• State the facts as you have had them given to you.
• Ask your questions in a clear and concise way without taking sides or being confrontational.
• Ask how they see the situation.
• Listen to what the third party has to say respectfully.
• Put forward the planned approach agreed between you and the tenant.
• Work out from their response whether or not the approach is working or whether you need to consult with the tenant to change the approach.

• End the interaction in a courteous way.
• If no agreement has been made, summarise what you have heard and that you need to update the tenant on this before deciding on next steps.
• Debrief the phone call with the tenant and help them reassess their options in light of any new information or clarifications from the phone call.

• Have pen and paper ready to take notes including the name and position of the person you want to speak to.
• Talk the tenant through your preparation so that they can learn from the process and can be sure what you are planning is what they want to happen.
• Remember that there is always more than one side to a story. It may be that the tenant has misunderstood the situation or the third party may not be aware of the tenant’s situation. Be prepared for some different views and possibly some new information.
• Be prepared to ‘let go’ if the tenant is happy with the results even if not originally planned for. It is the tenant’s right to decide.
• Be prepared to try someone higher up in the company / organisation / department if these approaches didn’t work. Remember to ask the tenant’s permission before you do anything further.

If you are looking for help and support you can contact Citizens Advice Bureau on 0800 367 222 or look at our list of support services.