1. Document statement
Waverley Borough Council (WBC) recognises hoarding as a mental health condition and that can create significant risks to residents, neighbours, staff and the wider community.
This policy adopts a tenancy sustainment and person-centred approach while ensuring homes remain safe and habitable for all tenants and household members residing in the property. It sets out a multi-agency framework for responding to hoarding behaviour.
Hoarding is often complex, long-term and linked to health, wellbeing, trauma, loss, mental health, social isolation and self-neglect. Effective interventions require coordinated partnership working, early engagement and proportionate responses focused on sustainable outcomes. The Policy supports staff in delivering consistent, person-centred interventions while balancing individual rights with public safety and safeguarding responsibilities.
2. Scope and purpose
The Policy applies to local authority services, housing providers, adult social care, health partners, fire and rescue services, environmental health, voluntary organisations and other practitioners working with residents affected by hoarding. Agencies are expected to collaborate, share information appropriately and fulfil their statutory responsibilities.
The core purpose is to promote safe living conditions, identify concerns early, encourage voluntary engagement, reduce duplication between agencies, improve understanding of legislation and develop coordinated support plans. Interventions should be evidence-based, risk-led and proportionate. Enforcement should generally follow reasonable attempts to engage and support the resident unless immediate risks require urgent action.
Objectives for the Policy include:
- tenancy sustainment
- early identification
- future prevention
- independent management of condition
- safeguarding
- partnership working
- risk reduction
- proportionate enforcement (when required).
This policy is for all tenants, household members and staff of WBC.
3. Definitions
The NHS defines "Hoarding Disorder" as:
"a mental health condition where you collect lots of things and find it very difficult to get rid of them, even if it's affecting your life."
Hoarding varies for each individual suffering from the disorder. However there are common symptoms of hoarding, which include:
- "keeping or collecting so many things that it affects your life or the lives of people you care about
- not being able to manage the things you've collected, but still finding it very difficult to get rid of them
- becoming extremely attached to the things you've collected
- feeling the need to get more things, even if you have a lot already
- having very strong positive feelings whenever you get more things".
A result of these symptoms can be:
- "struggling with everyday tasks such as cooking, cleaning and paying bills
- having disagreements with friends and family members about your things
- not being able to use rooms in your home because they are too full".
(Information from the NHS website.)
Common characteristics include difficulty discarding items, strong emotional attachment to possessions, anxiety about disposal, chronic disorganisation, social withdrawal, embarrassment about living conditions and reluctance to permit home visits. Hoarding may be associated with trauma, bereavement, poverty, loss of control, adverse life experiences, autism, ADHD, depression or other mental health conditions. People may move items between rooms without reducing overall volume, resulting in increasing clutter over time.
Hoarding Disorder is recognised as a distinct mental health condition. It is not simply a lifestyle choice, collecting hobby or housekeeping issue. The condition affects people across all ages, backgrounds, housing tenures and communities. Commonly retained items include paperwork, clothing, books, containers, equipment, food packaging and sentimental possessions. The severity of impact varies considerably between individuals.
Object hoarding is the most common form and involves excessive retention of physical items. Animal hoarding involves keeping more animals than can be adequately cared for, often resulting in welfare concerns. Data hoarding involves excessive retention of paper records or digital information, which may create organisational or functional difficulties similar to physical hoarding behaviours.
4. Legislative framework
Legislation covering hoarding includes:
- Care Act 2014
- Mental Capacity Act 2005
- Mental Health Act 1983
- Human Rights Act 1998
- Environmental Protection Act 1990
- Public Health Act 1936
- Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949
- Housing Acts 1985 and 2004
- Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
5. Insight and engagement
Understanding a resident's insight is critical when planning interventions. Some residents recognise the problem and wish to change. Others have limited insight and may minimise risks despite clear evidence. In more severe cases, individuals may reject concerns entirely or attribute responsibility to other people or circumstances. Communication should be respectful, non-judgemental and motivational, focusing on achievable goals and personal outcomes.
There is no single solution for hoarding behaviour. Effective responses often combine Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, practical support, skills development, social prescribing, advocacy and health interventions. Medication may assist where anxiety, depression or other mental health issues are present. Long-term engagement and gradual change are usually more effective than forced clearance alone.
6. Identification and assessment
Officers may identify hoarding through visits, repairs, safety inspections, safeguarding referrals, complaints or self-referrals.
Assessments should consider access, fire risk, structural concerns, utilities, sanitation, household functionality, pest activity, animal welfare, safeguarding concerns and risks to professionals.
A "Clutter Image Rating" will be completed to establish the priority of need. WBC will work with residents to develop action plans, make referrals, provide practical support where appropriate and review progress regularly.
Risk Assessments will be completed to determine risk to both the tenant and staff members.
Cases will be assessed as low, moderate, high or excessive risk with responses proportionate to identified hazards.
All cases will be raised as a Safeguarding case until the action plan has been approved as complete by the assigned case officer.
Although tenants remain responsible for the clearing and cleaning their homes, assistance will be considered to initiate the clearance so that the property is in a manageable condition moving forward.
Hoarding may overlap with self-neglect and safeguarding concerns. It is therefore important that we consider whether care and support needs exist and whether the individual can protect themselves from harm. Capacity assessments should focus on the specific decision in question. An apparently unwise decision does not automatically indicate lack of capacity. Best-interest processes should be followed where capacity is absent.
7. Partnership working
WBC will work with all suitable partnering agencies when required, including:
- Adult Social Care team
- Surrey Fire and Rescue Service
- NHS services
- Environmental Health
- voluntary organisations
- family support networks.
8. Property safety and no access
WBC recognises that at times, tenants may not provide access to our staff and contractors. This can be for a variety of reasons, including:
- lack of trust
- sense of shame/embarrassment
- change of opinion in pursuing with the agreed action plan
- outside influences i.e. cuckooing.
However it is essential that tenants provide access to the property so that it remains safe for not only themselves but their neighbours. Site visits that may require access to the home includes:
- annual gas servicing
- electrical testing
- property inspections
- essential repairs.
If a tenant continues to obstruct or deny access to their property, WBC may have no alternative but to pursue enforcement action through our Legal team and Court action in order to gain access.
Enforcement is a last resort but may include tenancy action, notices being served (including Community Protection Warnings, Community Protection Notices and Notices of Seeking Possession), injunctions or any other legal remedies where serious risks remain.
However, such enforcement action will not prevent the continued Tenancy Sustainment support. The assigned officer will continue to provide in parallel to the necessary enforcement actions being undertaken.
9. Reviewing and closing cases
Cases should be reviewed regularly using agreed risk measures and clutter ratings. Progress should focus on sustainable improvements rather than one-off clearances.
Cases will be closed via a panel agreement, not the decision of a single officer or lead. Successful outcomes depend upon coordinated working between agencies. Partners should share relevant information lawfully, avoid duplication and agree clear responsibilities through action plans. Complex cases may benefit from multi-disciplinary meetings that bring together housing, health, social care, environmental health, fire services and support providers to address risks collectively.
10. Equality, diversity and inclusion
Services will be delivered fairly and without discrimination.
11. Data protection
Information will be processed in accordance with UK GDPR and Data Protection legislation.
12. Review
This policy will be reviewed every three years or sooner if legislation or operational requirements change.