Dementia Action Week: Recognising and supporting vulnerable consumers

The Code requires home builders to treat all customers fairly and to mark the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Action Week May 19th to 25th, we are highlighting your responsibilities in recognising and supporting customers who may need a little extra support, including those who may be vulnerable.

A customer is potentially vulnerable if they are susceptible to detriment due to their health or personal circumstances, such as caring responsibilities. According to the NHS, research shows there are more than 944,000 people in the UK who have dementia, while the Alzheimer’s Society estimates there are approximately 700,000 people in the UK who care for someone with dementia. All of this may affect their ability to take in complex information or make informed decisions and it’s important to recognise these customers and take steps to accommodate any extra needs they may have.

Having a policy in place to support the interests of vulnerable customers is key, and all customer facing sales staff should be fully trained and aware of the safeguards they can put in place to help buyers.

The Code’s Resources Hub provides a lot of advice and guidance for home builders including our Right First Time factsheet on supporting vulnerable customers and you can read our blog to check you have given them enough pre-purchase information to help them make fully informed decisions throughout their purchase.

Adopt a more flexible approach for these customers, such as offering hard copy documents if they prefer, and telephone appointments if they are unable to attend in person perhaps due to caring responsibilities. 

Stick to plain English and avoid jargon and acronyms in all your sales materials where possible. Allow extra time for customers to consider all the information you provide, ideally offering to go through documentation with them to clarify anything that is unclear. It is particularly important to ensure buyers are aware of any ongoing costs associated with their home and any restrictions in onward sale, such as age requirements, often known as event or exit fees.

You can point them towards the Code’s Resources Hub section specifically for new home buyers which has a  wealth of information and support. For example, we explain what’s involved in buying a new home with our 9 essential steps for new home buyers and we cut through the complexity so that buyers know what to expect during the process to help them fully understand their new property purchase.

We’ve also explained what home buyers need to know before signing their Reservation Agreement including some important questions to consider to help make their purchase as smooth as possible.

Our short video on home warranties explains what their warranty is likely to cover and helps to clarify the distinction between defects cover during the first two years and the structural cover which lasts for 10 years.

If it’s their first time purchasing a brand new home, your buyer may be unfamiliar with the concept of snagging but you can share our blog which explains what snagging is and how to create a snagging list, with some suggestions on what to look out for when compiling their list.

In the event things don’t go according to plan, our Complaints Pack is designed to help buyers understand the difference between complaints and disputes and make it easier to identify who to go to and how to proceed.  Review your complaints process to ensure it meets the standards required under the Code and check you have procedures in place for handling complaints effectively.

You have a duty of care towards all customers but especially vulnerable customers. Making adjustments to support these buyers will help ensure a positive buying experience and prevent any problems further down the line.

For information about dementia, visit https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-involved/dementia-action-week.