We start the New Year with Warrington having moved from Tier 2, – through Tier 3, into Tier 4, and now into Tier 5 a national lockdown.
During this time the safety and wellbeing of our customers, contractors and colleagues and continuing to play our part in reducing the spread of the virus to help protect the NHS and save lives remains our key focus.
For Warrington Housing Association we are aiming to maintain a business as usual as much as is possible, by adapting our approach, working virtually where possible and following Government COVID-secure guidelines when delivering frontline services, such as repairs and cleaning. But as might be expected, this won’t be without its challenges and we may be affected by colleague or contractor absence due to illness or self-isolation. We would like to thank our customers for their continued patience in this respect and apologise in advance for any disruption to services.
Our offices
Our office will remain closed as will the communal areas in our retirement living schemes, until further notice. Appointments can be made in exceptional circumstances and we would ask that you contact us first if you think this is necessary.
In respect of other activities:
New lettings/moving home:
The Government has confirmed that people are still permitted to move home. We have been able to establish a new means of remote and socially distant allocations and this will continue.
New Developments.
Warrington Housing Association has ambitious plans to build more new homes to support housing need across Warrington and this will continue as construction sites are classified as essential and work continues, with contractors expected to follow coronavirus safety guidance.
Repairs and maintenance:
We have a relatively unique benefit that the vast majority of our contractors are local and well known to our customers. Contractors have committed to continuing to deliver our repairs and maintenance services during the current lockdown phase. Any work within you homes, or adaptation work we complete via WHiA will be undertaken in a sensitive way and will follow coronavirus safety guidance. This applies to both routine as well as essential/ emergency repairs and maintenance work. If we are unable to carry out any work we will log the job to complete in the future.
Gas safety inspections:
It is a legal requirement that WHA completes Gas safety inspections annually and for those properties with work planned over the coming weeks we aim to continue with this programme of work and would ask for customer’s co-operation in this matter.
Other health and safety testing and inspections
Other work we carry out to keep customers safe, such as electrical, lift and communal area inspections and checking fire-fighting equipment will also continue.
Larger Scale “Planned works” to your Home
We are just completing our planned works within resident’s homes for this year and will be completing external or communal works over the next couple of months and preparing works to start from April.
Rent Payments and Money Advice
We know these are very challenging times for everyone and we are here to help. If you are struggling to pay your rent or bills please get in touch with your housing officer or Steven, our Money Advice Officer.
Customers who are shielding
We will always aim to put our customers first and we will be sensitive to individual needs. Please let us know if you or members of your household are shielding. Visitors to your home who represent Warrington Housing Association will be expected to follow guidelines, such as the wearing of masks and PPE where required. However, we will endeavour to avoid the need for homes visits or the need to enter your home if this is at all possible.
WHiA
Our Home Improvement Agency will continue to provide handyperson & repairs services to residents of Warrington who are over 50 or disabled. Where clients who are clinically, extremely vulnerable and are currently advised to shield, we will make appropriate arrangements for the work to be done, if you let us know when you contact us.
Our Colleagues continue to take the situation very seriously and are using all the appropriate PPE and are following all Government guidance.
There may be some delays to services, for example we may take longer to give people an appointment due to pressures on services.
LifeTime
Our LifeTime Service will continue to offer a full online timetable via Zoom, with a range of activities keeping Warrington residents 50+ active, learning and connected during lockdown. If require you any support getting online or support accessing Zoom please contact a member of the LifeTime Team on 01925 246824 email mail@lifetimegateway.org.uk.
Click the following link to see what you can get involved with: LifeTime Virtual Timetable
We will continue to monitor any changes in Government guidance over the coming days and weeks. If you have any concerns/worries, please contact us. We will try and be as flexible as we can with individual circumstances.
The full details of the Government restrictions during the current lockdown period are located here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
HANDS FACE SPACE
