Introduction

Whether you have recently subscribed to our Lifeline service, or have been a customer for a while, here is some information that may be useful to you.

Cancelling an accidental alarm call

If you accidentally raise an alarm call, to cancel it:

• wait 5 seconds
• press the Cancel button on your base unit.

If you are unable to cancel the call on time and a Lifeline operator calls you, just explain that you pressed the button by accident.

Free maintenance on all equipment

We carry out free regular routine maintenance to make sure the equipment that we have supplied to you stays in good working condition.

Some equipment may need to be serviced more regularly than other equipment. We'll advise you how and when we'll service your equipment once it has been installed.

Report an issue

Your Lifeline subscription includes free repairs on all the products we supply.

If you are having an issue with your Lifeline service or any equipment we have supplied, please get in touch. Our Lifeline operators are able to provide advice, and if required, arrange for the item to be repaired.

Please just answer one quick question so we can advise on the best way to contact us:

Managing your subscription

Here is some guidance on managing your payments and contract.

Lifeline service terms and conditions

These terms and conditions are to clarify the responsibilities of East Riding of Yorkshire Council ('the council') who are providing the Lifeline service, and those who either receive the service ('Service User'), or those who pay for the service on behalf of the Service User ('Third Party Payer'), collectively referred to as ('the Customer').

1. East Riding of Yorkshire Council Lifeline service will:

• Supply and install a Lifeline unit, pendant and other optional sensors (collectively referred to as 'the equipment'), based on the Customer's needs.

• Connect the Equipment to the lifeline alarm monitoring service. The equipment always belongs to the council unless the Customer purchases it outright.

• If purchased outright the Equipment is the property of the Customer and the council will only monitor the Equipment. The council accepts no liability in respect of faults and repairs after the manufacturer's warranty period expires.

• In the event of a critical fault or health and safety concern such as frayed cables being reported, the council will aim to fix or replace the Equipment within 48 hours.

• Provide a monitoring service 24 hours a day, 365 days per year and will aim to answer calls in line with the targets set by the Telecare Services Association, answering 97.5 per cent of calls within 60 seconds and 99 per cent of calls received within three minutes.

• Respond to any critical faults with the Equipment, e.g. failure of any piece of Equipment within 48 hours of the fault being reported. The council reserves the right to use contractors and only those approved by the council shall maintain the Equipment.

• Ensure that a protocol is in place for contractors and that an identification badge be worn and shown to the Customer before entering the property.

• In the event of an alarm call, if Lifeline employees are concerned for the health, safety, and wellbeing of the Customer, they will consider the appropriate action which could be to ask a named key holder to attend, to send a community responder or to call the emergency services. The customer's wishes may be overridden if the staff member considers it to be in the customer's best interests.

• Send a community responder who will gain entry to the property via a key safe where fitted. If they cannot gain entry to the property, they will refer to the emergency services. The Lifeline service does not force entry, but the emergency service will decide if it is necessary. The council is not liable for any damage caused during forced entry.

• Hold the key safe number securely on their database and will not share key safe codes to unauthorised individuals. Should emergency services need access, they will receive the code after verifying their identity.

• Always comply with the Data Protection Act 2018.

• Share information with partner agencies such as social services, health services and the emergency services where they believe that this is in the interests of the Customer's wellbeing. This includes passing details to the fire service for them to conduct a fire safety check. The Customer gives permission for the council to disclose their personal data for this purpose.

• In the event of any suspected or reported abuse to the Customer of a physical, sexual, psychological, financial, discriminatory nature or act of neglect, the council will inform the relevant authorities immediately in accordance with safeguarding procedures.

• Supply a pre-paid package to the Customer to enable the return of the equipment.

• Welcome all feedback and will deal with complaints or comments in accordance with the council's complaints procedures, a copy of which Customers receive in their Lifeline welcome pack.

2. The Lifeline service user will:

• Agree to council employees and their contractors entering their home to install the equipment and agrees that they may have further access to their property at any reasonable time with reasonable notice to maintain, alter or remove the equipment.

• Provide up-to-date personal information necessary for the Lifeline service to be provided. The Lifeline service need to be kept informed of changes to the Customer's health, medication, key holders, key safe code, next of kin, or change of address.* Provide the council with the names and telephone numbers of any third parties to be contacted in case of an emergency and ensure that they have been notified, that they have been nominated, and that they consent to being contacted. The Customer will keep this (and their) information up to date and supply any amendments or additions to the list by contacting the Lifeline service.

• Provide a 13-amp electric socket and keep the Lifeline unit plugged in and always switched on, and understand that if either should become disconnected, the Lifeline Equipment may fail to contact the Lifeline service control centre.

• Accept that provision of a Lifeline service is reliant upon adequate signal strength and accepts that poor signal quality may result in termination of the service.

• Be responsible for all costs relating to the electricity supply.

• Test the alarm monthly by pressing the button and letting the Lifeline control centre know that it is a test call.

• Inform the council of any faults or damage to the Equipment.

• Accept that any damage to property due to the removal or replacement of the Equipment will be their responsibility and not the responsibility of the council.

• Accept that liability for securing and repairing the property after forced entry will be their responsibility and not the responsibility of the council.

• Accept liability for costs of replacement Equipment if it is lost, stolen or cannot for other reasons be returned to the council.

• Accept that they will be liable for the replacement of lost pendants and for any repairs to Equipment caused by misuse, vandalism, or fire / flood within the property.

• Inform the council (where possible) of any prolonged periods of absence from home e.g. planned hospital admissions, holidays etc.

• Consent to the recording of all calls made to the Lifeline service and grant the council permission to use such recordings for training and monitoring.

• Allow the council to pass the recordings, where appropriate, to any appropriate authority to assist in the prevention of or secure the conviction of a criminal offence, and in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018.

3. Termination and variations of agreement:

• At any time within the 28 day period from the date of installation, the Customer may end the agreement and there will be no charges made to the Customer.

• Following the 28 day period referred to above, the agreement may be ended by either party giving to the other no less than two weeks' notice. If the Equipment has been installed for more than 28 days but less than three months, a full quarter's charge is payable.

• The charges for the Lifeline service and Equipment are subject to an annual review in line with CPI and inflation. Should prices change, the Customer will be informed in writing and prior to the annual April billing cycle.

• Upon termination of the agreement, the Customer must arrange for the Equipment to be returned by post to the council within 28 days of the termination date.

• The council reserves the right to make a reasonable charge for non-returned items based on the replacement cost to the service.

• On rare occasions, the council may end the agreement due to abuse or inappropriate use of the system or non-payment of invoices. The council will keep the Customer fully informed of its decision and will inform any interested parties such as social services and family members.

• The council reserves the right to review a service level and propose alternative packages, in line with its Fair Usage Policy.

• To cancel the agreement or to request pre-paid packaging to enable the return of equipment, the Customer can telephone (01377) 256264, email lifeline@eastriding.gov.uk or write to:

East Riding Lifeline
47-49 Manorfield Road
Driffield
East Riding of Yorkshire
YO25 5JE.

• Until the Equipment has been returned to the Lifeline service or is delivered to any council Customer Service Centre, the Customer will still be required to pay for the Lifeline service.

• As part of the council's Reablement Scheme, the Equipment is provided free of charge for a six week period. If at any point the service is cancelled during that six week 'free period' the Customer will not be charged. During the six week free period the service can be cancelled either over the phone, in writing or by pressing the call button on the Equipment. The council will then arrange to have the alarm removed. Once the six-week free period has expired, 28 days' notice must be given in writing to cancel the agreement.