COVID-19 Update
Here's an update on what we've been doing to protect our residents and service users, as well as our staff, from COVID-19
We’ve been monitoring the impact of COVID-19 and how we can best protect our community, our neighbourhoods and our staff throughout the pandemic.
Throughout the pandemic we have modified our ways of working to help keep our customers and colleagues safe.
- Our offices remain closed to the public. If you need to contact us, please call 0300 5000 600 or email hello@connecthousing.org.uk.
- We continue to carry out repairs work and essential safety inspections in customers’ homes, prioritising emergency and urgent work.
- Neighbourhood and support services are being delivered remotely where possible.
- Staff continue to work in our sheltered and supported housing schemes.
- We continue to let properties and process requests for shared ownership and mutual exchanges. Property viewings can be carried out virtually on request.
The health and safety of our customers and colleagues is our priority and therefore we continue to limit face-to-face contact and offer services remotely where we can. In instances where a home visit or contact with a member of our team is required, our colleagues will take the following steps to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
- Maintain 2m social distancing at all times.
- Wear a face mask and appropriate PPE.
- Wipe down and sanitise all surfaces touched in a customer’s home.
- Make contact before the visit to check if you or any members of your household have tested positive for COVID-19, are suffering from symptoms or self-isolating.
We ask you to also take the following precautions for home visits or face to face contact with members of our team.
Let us know if you are self-isolating or if you or a member of your household tests positive or develops COVID-19 symptoms before our visit. If you are clinically vulnerable, we can delay non emergency repairs if necessary.
During the visit ensure you are wearing a face covering and maintaining 2m social distancing at all times
For home visits, ventilate the room and leave internal doors open where possible so we don’t have to touch them
- Stay in a different room while any repairs/safety inspection work is taking place
Recent update
Moving towards the end of the pandemic is welcome but the number of cases of the virus is significantly rising so the government is still urging us to be cautious. We are heeding this advice and will continue to take simple measures to do what we can keep our customers and our employees safe.
Therefore, although legal restrictions are changing, we will for the time being be continuing with the following safety measures we’ve had in place over the last year for the time being;
- We will still be encouraging our office-based staff to work from home wherever possible
- Our offices will remain closed to the public, and we’ll use alternative ways to meet with you such as video calls, phone calls and outdoor meetings wherever possible
- We’ll continue to wear face masks and use other important items of PPE when we are in crowded spaces and in customers homes
- We’ll maintain social distance measures where we can, and encourage you do too
- We’ll wash our hands more frequently and for at least 20 seconds, and we’ll ventilate the areas that we work in.
We have COVID Secure risk assessments and policies in place for all our service areas. If you would like to obtain copies of our risk assessments or have any queries about the measures we are taking to protect customers and colleagues from COVID-19 please call us on 0300 5000 600 or email hello@connecthousing.org.uk.
As lockdown restrictions ease, we are regularly reviewing our ways of working to expand service provision where it is safe to do so. We will continue to work within the latest government guidelines and will provide updates on this page and through our social media sites as service delivery changes.
Check out the news section of the website for further information and details of help and advice available to customers.
Please continue keep yourself and others safe through this pandemic by following the Government guidelines (www.gov.uk/covid). If you do need support, please contact your Community Housing Officer, Support Worker, or call us on 0300 5000 600.