Being made homeless from parents, relatives or friends accounts for the majority of housing applications. Islington Council recognises that for some housing applicants it is not possible to remain at home. However, for many others, the security provided by home will enable applicants to plan their future accommodation needs, often with the help of the housing department.
It is clear that throughout London many people have a genuine problem in finding appropriate accommodation. Such pressures can lead to frustration and disputes within their current home. The purpose of mediation, within the context of a person's housing application, is to try to prevent, wherever possible, disputes at home leading to homelessness.
Mediation is a means of helping people to resolve their differences. Mediators will work with you and the householder to help you both to find a way forward. The mediators do not take sides and do not tell you what to do. The mediators will make sure that you and the householder have the opportunity to say what the issues are and to gain a better understanding of each others needs and points of view.
What is discussed in mediation is confidential unless there are concerns about the safety of anyone involved. The Mediation Service will be required to report back to the council on the outcome of the mediation. However, it will not report information of a personal nature without your agreement.
You can choose whether or not to use mediation. However, Islington Council has an expectation that you will attend, because the outcome of the referral might influence the decision on your homeless application.
Your first meeting - you may attend the first appointment on your own. This meeting is an opportunity to find out how mediation works and talk with the mediator about your housing situation. This is called your 'intake assessment appointment.' The purpose is to decide whether using mediation is the way to resolve the problems between you and the householder. The householder can also come for an individual intake assessment or there may be situations where you and the householder can attend together
Your next meeting, if after these intake meetings everyone agrees to go ahead with mediation, the mediation session would be with you and the householder together. If you have any concerns about being in a meeting with the householder, please bring these up with the mediator at the intake appointment. We will be happy to arrange separate waiting rooms and leaving times.
At the meeting the aim will be for you and the householder to say what is going on and then to look at possible options on how to go forward. Normally this will happen in one meeting of up to two hours, but if you need more meetings to resolve things, this can be arranged.
There is no charge to you for using this service.
The forms we use are simple and straightforward. You can ask to see them if you wish. The outcomes sent to the housing department will indicate whether or not people have attended the intake appointments and mediation sessions. If the case goes on to mediation, a brief summary of agreements reached as a result of mediation will be recorded. If there is no agreement, then a brief explanation may be recorded. The detail of what is discussed is not recorded.
If you have any complaints about the service you can talk with the managers and a complaints procedure will be made available to you. The mediators have a supervisor who occasionally observes the mediators at work and you may be asked whether you would be comfortable allowing the supervisor to sit in on a session.
Housing services offer translation and interpreting in the main community languages (including sign language, Braille and audio and large print) spoken in the borough. For more information, please see the link on the right.
Page Last Updated: 31 October 2008