Unreasonable Behaviour Policy

We are well known at 247 Property Services Limited for striving to provide a professional service and ensuring all staff are covered is paramount. We treat with respect and should be treated with respect.

it is the purpose of our roles to deliver exceptional customer service to all our customers, whether they be tenants, landlords or clients. We understand that managing people’s homes requires dealing with customers who have an emotional investment and this can sometimes cause distress and make dealing with customers difficult. We are prepared and have tools to enable us to ease such conversations and provide effective resolutions to these problems. From letting to all management situations we assure you that you are in professional hands.

To that end, we have a duty to ensure that our staff are properly protected, in accordance with our health and safety obligations and our general responsibility to safeguard their welfare. We do not expect our staff to tolerate unreasonable behaviour.

What is Unreasonable Behaviour?

Unreasonable behaviour is any behaviour that is deemed unacceptable, the various forms of which are detailed below. We do not view behaviour as unreasonable just because a person is forceful or determined. However, we do consider behaviour that results in unreasonable demands of our staff, or unreasonably distresses our staff, to be unacceptable.

Wherever possible, we will give the person the opportunity to change their behaviour or action before a decision is taken. In the event that action needs to be taken to deal with unreasonable behaviour, we will make a detailed note of events, including the unreasonable behaviour and any action taken to mitigate it. This will be recorded in a central register and will be done as soon as possible after the event. We may choose to record phone calls on company phones. When this is the case, we will give clear notice and subsequent reminders.

Forms of Unreasonable Behaviour

We deem the following behaviour to be unacceptable when liaising with our staff:

Being unreasonably persistent – for example, ringing frequently to raise points already addressed; sending voluminous repetitive or irrelevant emails or letters; (Note that there is no set period for being unreasonably persistent as the nature of the persistence will inevitably vary. However, depending on the circumstances, we will consider whether a person is being unreasonably persistent by assessing the frequency of persistence over a period of 3, 6 and 12 months).

Rudeness – swearing (generally or directed at a member of staff), persistent interruption, name calling or general discourtesy.

Anger – in volume or tone of voice, such as shouting.

Aggressive behaviour – threats of physical harm to person(s) or property; behaviour which indicates that physical harm to person(s) or property is imminent or actual physical aggression.

Insulting or disparaging remarks or comments – especially on the grounds of an individual’s sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, religion, belief or age.

Inflammatory remarks or personal remarks directed at staff.

These are examples and not a definitive list of unacceptable behaviours. There are other behaviours not included in the above which may constitute unacceptable behaviour.

Dealing with Unreasonable Behaviour

We may choose to deal with unreasonable behaviour by any of the following means:

Call Termination - Where a person behaves unreasonably during a telephone call to a member of staff, we will ask them to change their behaviour. If they persist in behaving unreasonably, we will warn them that we will terminate the call. If they persist further, we will follow that through. The staff member who terminates the call may report this to a senior figure within the company, and a recording of the telephone conversation will be stored and saved. All calls saved are reviewed by management.

Limiting Contact - Where a person is unreasonably persistent, for example by telephoning us several times a day for a number of days in succession, or by sending us voluminous or repetitive emails or letters, we will ask them to reduce their contact with the office to that which is absolutely essential. If our request is ignored, we will take steps to limit their contact with the office. Such steps might include requiring contact in a particular form – for example by letter only; requiring telephone contact on specified days or at specified times; or insisting that contact is only made with specific staff member(s) or through a third party to contact us on the persons behalf.

Terminating Contact - In exceptional circumstances, we may refuse to have further contact with individuals who are unreasonably persistent or abusive. Where we put limitations on contact with the office, this will be sanctioned by a senior figure within the company.

Informing the Authorities - Where we receive threats against individual staff members/voluntary advisers or office property, immediate action may be taken including informing the police or other emergency services.

Through the above measures, we have taken steps to recognise and safeguard our staff from unreasonable behaviour.

247 Property Services – Body-Worn Camera Notification Policy

Notification of Body-Worn Camera Usage During Appointments and Viewings

Purpose:
To ensure transparency, safety, and compliance with health and safety practices, this policy sets out the requirement for staff to notify customers, clients, tenants, landlords, and third parties of the use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) during appointments conducted outside the main office.

Scope:
This policy applies to all employees, representatives, and agents of 247 Property Services who are required to conduct business away from the main office, including (but not limited to) property viewings, inspections, inventories, check-ins, check-outs, and maintenance visits.

Policy Statement

As part of our commitment to ensuring the health, safety, and security of both our staff and members of the public, 247 Property Services staff may wear body-worn cameras during appointments outside of our office.

Staff are required to clearly inform all relevant parties with the following statement when booking or confirming any appointments:

"Kindly note that, in the interest of health and safety, all our staff wear body-worn cameras when attending all appointments and viewings."

This communication will be delivered in a clear and professional manner either:

Verbally during phone conversations (all telephone calls are recorded regardless)
In writing via email or messaging systems when appointments are confirmed
Included within any automated booking or viewing confirmation template where applicable

Guidelines for Implementation

Training & Awareness
All staff must be familiar with the correct use of body-worn cameras and the importance of informing parties beforehand. Training will be provided during onboarding and periodically refreshed.
Transparency & Respect
Staff must not engage body-worn cameras covertly. Recordings must comply with privacy regulations and the expectations of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as applicable.
Consent
While prior notice is sufficient under lawful basis for legitimate interest (for safety and evidence purposes), any expressed concerns must be escalated to management before proceeding.
Data Handling
All footage must be securely stored and only accessed by authorised personnel for legitimate business or legal purposes. Retention periods and deletion protocols are defined in the 247 Data Protection and CCTV Usage Policy.
Refusal to Comply
Should a client or visitor refuse to be recorded, staff must politely inform them that the camera is in place for everyone's safety and must consult management before proceeding with the appointment.