Scheme Managers - Roles and responsibilities

Consultation has concluded

Where your lease permits, your Leasehold Retirement Scheme has a Scheme Manager.

Scheme Manager requirements can vary depending on the requirements of each scheme and lease.

Scheme Managers play a vital role in the day-to-day running of your scheme and are there as your first point of call.

In addition to promoting independent living and the welfare of residents, Scheme Managers are committed to the corporate values and ethics of the Group and will endeavour to be a focal point for the delivery of services to you and ensuring the scheme buildings and grounds are well maintained.

Responsibilities of the Scheme Manager

The Group’s Scheme Managers are essential to the effective delivery of the following day-to-day services and responsibilities:

  • Welcoming new residents and explaining the services and facilities provided

  • Overseeing the general welfare and wellbeing of our residents

  • Responding to emergencies when onsite

  • Ensuring a safe living environment is maintained in accordance with the Group’s Health and Safety requirements

  • Promoting and maintaining a caring, independent community

  • Encouraging the social welfare of residents by assisting in the facilitation of social events and activities

  • Ensuring repairs (for which the Group is responsible) are carried out quickly, effectively and provide value for money

  • Advising on local services

  • Ensuring all communal areas are maintained to a high standard

  • Providing service charge and payment advice

  • Assisting residents and their families to access additional care and support

Provision of relief Scheme Manager cover

When your Scheme Manager is off duty, on holiday or sick for short periods of time, the 24-hour emergency call monitoring service will always respond to any alarm call.

However, for extended periods of planned or unforeseen absence, the Group may be able to make provisions to supply a relief Scheme Manager, where possible. This may require consultation with residents.

Dealing with emergencies

If the emergency call system is activated and your Scheme Manager is available, they’ll immediately respond by visiting the resident concerned and will, if necessary, access the property using a master key. They’ll then assess the situation and take appropriate action depending on the circumstances.

If the Scheme Manager is unavailable during an emergency, Central Control will respond to assist. If the Monitoring Station respond but receive no response from you or they’re otherwise unable to assess your potential condition, they’ll automatically contact the emergency services and the resident’s nominated emergency contacts.

Excluded responsibilities

Our Leasehold Retirement Schemes are specifically designed for independent living. The services and facilities provided on our schemes are not designed to accommodate the complex needs of residents who may, over time, develop progressive illnesses affecting their physical and/or mental health.

With that in mind, it’s important to note that it’s not within the remit of our Scheme Managers to provide a professional care service. Specifically, our Scheme Managers are unable to provide the following:

  • Provide nursing care or administering medication

  • Handle residents’ money or deal with their financial affairs

  • Provide meals

  • Provide a repairs service

  • Providing a shopping service

  • Providing a prescription collection service

  • Providing a taxi service.

Assisted Living

Whilst we don’t provide private care and health services, we can provide you with details of providers in the local area.

The benefit of receiving support or help when you need it is that you can often enhance your lifestyle and it enables you to remain in your home for as long as possible.

Further information on how your Scheme Manager and the Group can assist you can be found in a separate Factsheet – “Assisted Living”, which is available on request through your Scheme Manager.

Where your lease permits, your Leasehold Retirement Scheme has a Scheme Manager.

Scheme Manager requirements can vary depending on the requirements of each scheme and lease.

Scheme Managers play a vital role in the day-to-day running of your scheme and are there as your first point of call.

In addition to promoting independent living and the welfare of residents, Scheme Managers are committed to the corporate values and ethics of the Group and will endeavour to be a focal point for the delivery of services to you and ensuring the scheme buildings and grounds are well maintained.

Responsibilities of the Scheme Manager

The Group’s Scheme Managers are essential to the effective delivery of the following day-to-day services and responsibilities:

  • Welcoming new residents and explaining the services and facilities provided

  • Overseeing the general welfare and wellbeing of our residents

  • Responding to emergencies when onsite

  • Ensuring a safe living environment is maintained in accordance with the Group’s Health and Safety requirements

  • Promoting and maintaining a caring, independent community

  • Encouraging the social welfare of residents by assisting in the facilitation of social events and activities

  • Ensuring repairs (for which the Group is responsible) are carried out quickly, effectively and provide value for money

  • Advising on local services

  • Ensuring all communal areas are maintained to a high standard

  • Providing service charge and payment advice

  • Assisting residents and their families to access additional care and support

Provision of relief Scheme Manager cover

When your Scheme Manager is off duty, on holiday or sick for short periods of time, the 24-hour emergency call monitoring service will always respond to any alarm call.

However, for extended periods of planned or unforeseen absence, the Group may be able to make provisions to supply a relief Scheme Manager, where possible. This may require consultation with residents.

Dealing with emergencies

If the emergency call system is activated and your Scheme Manager is available, they’ll immediately respond by visiting the resident concerned and will, if necessary, access the property using a master key. They’ll then assess the situation and take appropriate action depending on the circumstances.

If the Scheme Manager is unavailable during an emergency, Central Control will respond to assist. If the Monitoring Station respond but receive no response from you or they’re otherwise unable to assess your potential condition, they’ll automatically contact the emergency services and the resident’s nominated emergency contacts.

Excluded responsibilities

Our Leasehold Retirement Schemes are specifically designed for independent living. The services and facilities provided on our schemes are not designed to accommodate the complex needs of residents who may, over time, develop progressive illnesses affecting their physical and/or mental health.

With that in mind, it’s important to note that it’s not within the remit of our Scheme Managers to provide a professional care service. Specifically, our Scheme Managers are unable to provide the following:

  • Provide nursing care or administering medication

  • Handle residents’ money or deal with their financial affairs

  • Provide meals

  • Provide a repairs service

  • Providing a shopping service

  • Providing a prescription collection service

  • Providing a taxi service.

Assisted Living

Whilst we don’t provide private care and health services, we can provide you with details of providers in the local area.

The benefit of receiving support or help when you need it is that you can often enhance your lifestyle and it enables you to remain in your home for as long as possible.

Further information on how your Scheme Manager and the Group can assist you can be found in a separate Factsheet – “Assisted Living”, which is available on request through your Scheme Manager.

Consultation has concluded

  • does the scheme manager have a role to play in residents commitee meetings

    Helen99 asked almost 2 years ago

    Hi Helen99


    Thank you for your question.

    One of the benefits of a Residents’ Association or Social Committee with or without a formal constitution, is to promote effective communication between residents and ourselves to assist with the smooth running of the scheme.  It is, therefore, expected that Scheme Managers be invited to any committee meetings. 

    Although a Residents Association/Committee can put forward proposals/suggestions in respect of their scheme, they should ensure that they involve the Scheme Manager to maintain effective communication. The Scheme Manager will also ensure that a Residents Association/committee remains representative of all residents on the scheme by ensuring that they obtain their views and opinions.  The Scheme Manager will also act as a liaison to the Management Company, in order that Longhurst is kept informed of any proposals being made.

     Many Residents’ Associations and Social Committees also take the lead and/or assist the Scheme Manager in the promotion of social activities so Scheme Managers should always be invited to discuss ideas for future events with the committee.

    I hope this helps,

    Helen Bird, Customer Engagement Manager


  • What is the role of the Service Manager in a sheltered housing scheme please.

    Marian asked about 2 years ago

    Hello Marian, 

    Thanks for your question. The role of your Service Manager is to be responsible for maintaining standards within the scheme buildings and grounds – ensuring that all health and safety procedures are adhered to and that our schemes are safe and secure at all times. To provide support to residents to ensure their tenancy is sustained and to ensure their well being, safety and satisfaction with their accommodation and services they receive.

    I hope this helps,

    Helen