people coming into sheltered accommodation

[Kim666]

My mother lives in sheltered accommodation. It's secure in the sense that residents need a key or key fob to get into the building. There is only a yale lock though on each flat, and no mortise lock. There is no CCTV yet although they plan to get it.

I have found out that people are coming into the building who are not residents, relatives, guests, carers or workmen/workwomen. They are not signing in to the book that all visitors are meant to sign in to.

They work for a company that distributes catalogues, putting them under people's doors. Then they come back to collect them. I'm sure that it's convenient for some of the residents to have this, but that's not the point. The point is that people are coming into the building and not signing the book.

I don't know how they are getting into the building. I'm sure they can't have a key. They don't seem to be coming to the front of the building and asking permission to come in. Maybe they're ringing bells at random until someone lets them in.

This company is trying to recruit people, that's in the catalogue. It looks as if they employ casual staff. I don't like the idea of people wandering the corridors who are basically people just coming in off the street. I wouldn't want to live in a place where there is just a yale lock on the door.

Perhaps this company has permission from the landlord to come in, but even then they should be signing in. I could talk to the housing officer but if nobody else thinks there's a problem then I might come across as making a fuss about nothing.

You do seem to be a bit dramatic, sorry.

Sounds very dodgy

They're selling to possibly vulnerable adults aren't they?

I wouldn't be comfortable with this either. You need to speak to whoever runs the place. There will be vulnerable people living there and it's a potential safeguarding failure.

Does the facility have an on site manager to discuss this with?

Definitely discuss it with whoever is in charge. It isn't normal practice and it isn't acceptable.

This doesn't sound great. A lot of older people in sheltered accommodation will be very vulnerable to scams and pushy sales techniques and that's before the actual theft risks of having god knows who strolling in and out.

Absolutely right to have concerns. The whole point of the security is to stop randoms.

In addition, we are all aware of how vulnerable to doorsteppers some - maybe all - residents may be

YA definitely NBU. And of course you're not being dramatic

Yanbu as someone who visits patients at similar places ill be concerned. No one should be able to get in and certainly at places i go to its not easy to get in which incompletely understand. Is there an onsite manager.

Perhaps I didn't make it clear that there could easily be a burglary or a rape. Anyone could get through a door that's only got a yale lock. There are people on drugs or just criminals who could sign up with this company then get into her building. They know old people often keep lots of cash in their flats. Sorry to sound a bit dramatic, but security is their for a reason, and if it's being compromised then that's not right.

so you need to act on this

Raise it with the home manager /company.

It may well be an individual letting them in, and not realising that they are staying in the building.

Also in my experience these sheltered complexes residents often have lounges where personal belongings are left, assuming that the block is reasonably secure.

Yes, that's something I hadn't thought about. They have had irons go missing from the laundry. Once someone tried to use the remote control for the TV in a communal area and they eventually worked out that someone had taken the batteries out. DVDs have gone missing.

People employed on a casual basis by this company could help themselves to anything they want. Old people are forgetful and could easily leave a handbag next to a chair in a communal room.

People can't just walk in off the street because in these areas you need a key fob to get in, but we know employees of these companies go all round the building. What if you have a respectable adult who gets their teenage child to help out with putting catalogues through the doors? When out of sight they could take what they want.

But equally there are likely to be a variety of people with access to the inside - carers, relatives, postman, delivery staff, hcps, cleaners, fellow residents and so on. Yes it is most likely these people ring bells until one allows them in or wait to come in as a resident leaves or returns. You could raise this with the warden, whether living on site or not. They should have cctv on the doors to check if you know date/time. However increasingly places in such housing are being used by councils to house vulnerable or homeless adults other than just the elderly.

Who is it? Lakeland or similar?

Report it to the CQC.

I'd imagine it is something like Betterware.

CQC will only have regulatory powers if there is domicilliary care (personal care or medication) done on the premises - in which case you should raise it with them.

Alternatively, you can raise it with the local authority through Safeguarding. Or, in the first instance, with the organisation that manages the property...

Just speak to the warden. Unfortunately, despite being advised not to let strangers in, residents in sheltered schemes often do and there's not a lot anyone can do apart from continuing to remind of the dangers.

Is there a trade button at the front door? Some places have a trade button that works till a certain time of day for the postman to get into the building

Is it private accommodation or housing association? YANBU at all by the way.

It all depends on what level the accomodation is at, sheltered, very sheltered, care home, nursing home etc - all have different regulations concerning this, something which surprised me.

Yanbu.

My mum lives in a flat that has road access onto the estate but only gates with fibs to enter as a pedestrian unless you walk all way around.

Anyway its mainly pensioners and disabled people that live there and there are signs up saying that door to door sales are prohibited due to the nature of the residents. A couple of times I have sent either chuggers or betterware catalogue type people packing. Lots of the residents are vulnerable and would be worried about an unexpected knock, especially after dark.

Maybe phone your local council and see if they can put a sinilar sign up. Or see if there is a neighbourhood watch that covers it.

Make a bit of nuisance about this, I'm sure lots of residents fid this helpful but I know an elderly gent who spent thousands on one of these. The man kept coming and when he brought the stuff came on for a cup of tea. Was a real shame, the elderly chap was really embarrassed when he realised how much he'd spent on unneeded crap.
What's the point of locking doors if they aren't secure.

YANBU my dad has aphasia after a stroke and has become childlike in some ways (cant manage his weekly shop as just buys sweets) - he lives in sheltered accommodation and door to door salesmen are banned because their are being living there who are at risk of being taken advantage of (including my dad)

Catalogue sellers are no different and i imagine their making a pretty penny out of vulnerable ederly people living on their own.

Yadnbu at all. My dms place was a mix of elderly and ld adults. One of the ld residents was "befriended" by a group of young men who were apparently doing just that who used to get in to terrorise him and wander the building. I found the fire exit door wedged open one evening. I kicked the wedge away, called the police, who came and caught a group of them waiting to get in. Post and careers had access to a dedicated locked key box. Everyone else came during office hours.