A third national lockdown has been put in place to apply from 5 January 2021 to protect the country from Coronavirus/COVID-19.  Although the restrictions are tighter than the last lockdown in November, we believe that the lessons we learned from previous lockdowns and the more detailed government guidance available will help us to maintain the delivery of services in a safe and efficient way.

Repairs

• We will continue to carry out emergency repairs, response repairs and all health & safety related work in accordance with agreed COVID-19 safety procedures and government guidelines.  A video has been made that describes the precautions that will be taken - view here.
  
  
• Repairs inside a tenant’s home will only be undertaken with their consent. The exception to this will be statutory compliance work (which we will continue unless the government introduces rules that prevent or delay our access into individual homes) or other serious health and safety issues, e.g. flooding.
• We will ask tenants to ventilate areas that our operatives/tradespeople will be working in before repairs appointments take place (to the best of their ability).
  
  
• Repairs to internal communal areas of blocks including Independent Living Schemes will continue with safety measures and social distancing applied. We will monitor the situation relating to Independent Living Schemes. This may result in only emergency repairs being completed.
  
  
• We are aware that if our operatives are affected by Coronavirus or need to self-isolate, this may cause delays. We will keep customers informed of any changes to appointments if this happens.

Care and Independent Living Services

Restrictions already put in place are as follows:

• Independent Living Schemes are closed to all visitors.
  
  
• Essential visits to tenants can be made by relatives for personal care, medication or tasks that a carer would usually carry out.
  
  
• Compassionate visits can be arranged where someone is at their end of life or is becoming distressed not seeing relatives due to their health. The need for such visits will be handled on a case by case basis.
  
  
• Repair works to continue unless guidance changes which may result in just emergency repairs being carried out.
  
  
• Health & Safety Compliance work will continue as required.
  
  
• Communal rooms will remain open for tenants in Covid-19 free schemes. Social distancing will be required and cleaning arrangements will be in place.  Where there are any confirmed cases of Covid-19 - communal areas will close.
  
  
• Health and Social Care professionals will be on site.
  
  
• We will continue to let empty apartments in Covid-19 free schemes.
  
  
• All staff and residents will be required to wear masks in the communal parts of the building.

We will continue to carry out Independent Living and Care Services visits as normal with safety procedures and social distancing applied. This includes:

• Home Care
  
  
• Support Visits
  
  
• Welfare support
  
  
• Care and support delivery within the schemes

Statutory Property Compliance (such as gas and electric inspections and servicing)

• We will continue to make sure statutory health & safety compliance checks (including routine servicing and maintenance) are undertaken across all our homes and communal areas. 
  
  
• Where self-isolation is taking place within a property or scheme, we will rearrange until after the self-isolation period. If a significant health and safety risk is present, we will review the action to be taken and keep resident informed.

Housing Services

• Housing management, Community Warden and neighbourhood visits will continue but in accordance with safety procedures and social distancing applied. Contact with customers will be by phone or digital media wherever possible.
  
  
• It is expected that tenants and waiting list applicants will be contacted as normal by telephone.
  
  
• Lettings will continue but contact with customers will be limited. Arrangements for returning keys will be given when a Notice of Termination has been received or a viewing has taken place (usually to a secure post box or left at Reception at Foley Grove).
  
  
• We will continue to contact all vulnerable customers during lockdown with a welfare call.

Customer Contact

• We would ask that contact with us  should be by phone or digital media where possible. When this is not possible and a face to face visit is required, we will follow guidelines set out in our latest video here. Social distancing will be observed and PPE will be worn.
  
  
• Amica24 alarm visits will continue with safety procedures and social distancing applied.

Foley Grove

• Our headquarters at Foley Grove will be closed to the general public for the foreseeable future and the majority of our teams will be working from home.

Community House

• This building is currently closed for the foreseeable future.