Hackney Homes is committed to providing equal access to housing services for all, whatever their language or culture. Where appropriate language interpreters and support for people with hearing difficulties is available.

We are committed to providing a range of translation and interpretation services including:

Residents can access on the spot translation services when they visit any of our five neighbourhood offices or the reception for Leasehold and Right to Buy Services at 298 Mare Street Hackney. The service is offered through a company called Language Line and posters are displayed in all receptions. Residents need only to identfy the language they speak on the poster and a telephone interpreter will be arranged.

Residents can access a translater when they phone the Repairs Contact Centre on 020 8356 3691 to report a repair. The customer services team in the Centre has been trained to identify different languages and can arrange on the spot translation over the phone.

All Hackney Homes printed documents, including the Hackney Homes News, rent statements and brochures, include a translation panel that explains in 10 languages what the document is and how a translation can be requested. This is usually through sending a request through our Freepost mail address or phoning the Repairs Contact Centre. We also provide the option for a range of other formats including large print, braille and a British Sign Language Interpreter.

The Hackney Homes Tenants Handbook, which is the essential guide that outlines the service Hackney Homes will provide and tenants' responsibilities, is available in 10 languages.

New tenants all watch a DVD when they collect the keys to their new property. The DVD provides information about the service Hackney Homes will provide and what we expect of residents. The DVD is available in 10 languages as well as subtitles and sign language.

We have identified the top four requested languages other than English in Hackney. Additional information is available in these languages including on information kiosks in neighbourhood offices, on this website and on various programmes including Decent Homes renovation programme.