COVID-19 Repairs Update – Draft Health and Safety Guidance Leaflet

In our post of 9 July, we advised that we were developing a Tenant Repairs Health and Safety Guidance leaflet. We shared the draft with our tenant participation panel and are awaiting comments, but we wanted to share the first version at the earliest opportunity ahead of the repairs restart.

You can view the leaflet here.

We will revise the guidance as we receive comments to ensure it reflects any concerns, and we will continue to provide updates on any developments relating to the repairs restart to make sure you are kept fully informed.

 Thank you for continuing to help us deliver a safe and efficient service.

 

 

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Housing Planned Maintenance – COVID-19 Update

In line with the Scottish Government’s guidance on the phased easing of lockdown restrictions, our contractors will soon start carrying out some maintenance Council housing.

These works will include the following;

• Emergency works
• Essential planned maintenance work including planning and site-preparation, which are allowed during the first stage.  Initially, this will include some external survey works by contractors, and tenants will be notified in advance of these starting in each area.

As we have done throughout the lockdown period, we will continue to carry out annual servicing of gas heating systems as we are required to do by law.

We have been working closely with our contractors to ensure a measured approach is taken to restarting works, which will be reviewed and updated regularly as the guidance from Scottish Government develops. Please check the Housing Blog and our website for further updates.

NHS advice can be found on the NHS Coronavirus COVID 19 website –– the main symptoms of the coronavirus include; 

• A new, continuous, dry cough
• A high temperature
• Loss or change to your sense of smell or taste

We appreciate your co-operation at this time and hope you find this information useful, but if you have any queries about this post, please do not hesitate to contact us by email to HousingTechnical@angus.gov.uk

Grass Cutting and Other Maintenance of Parks, Cemeteries and Open Spaces Across Angus Has Restarted

On Monday 20 April, or grass-cutting of parks and open spaces restarted. It will take some time to get round them all so please bear with us.

The use of single operator vehicles allow our staff to work safely whilst maintaining rules on social distancing in compliance with Government and health guidelines.

Maintaining our parks and open spaces will help to allow people to get exercise locally, on a daily basis.

Please remember, if you are at your local green spaces, follow the national guidance and do not allow children or teenagers to use play areas, skate parks and fitness equipment or gather socially, other than in family groups.  These facilities remain closed until further notice.

Only parks and green spaces close to your home should be used for exercising. Please avoid driving to parks and carry any litter home with you.

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated to ensure we all stay safe during these unprecedented times.

 

For more details see our website.

 

 

Gas Safety Checks Continue During Coronavirus Outbreak

Since 17 March 2020 we have been following UK and Scottish Government guidance to avoid any unnecessary contact with others. We have also been encouraging residents to stay home and stay safe.

There are exceptions to this guidance and the Health and Safety Executive, has decided that the balance of risk is such, that it remains a legal duty of all landlords to conduct annual safety checks in relation to gas safety. This is because tenants rightly must be protected from the dangers associated with faulty gas services. Therefore we, as a responsible landlord, will be continuing our annual gas services checks.

Naturally, this is causing anxiety for many of our residents, some of whom are ‘shielding’ because of age or pre-existing conditions and we are now experiencing some difficulties in getting access into some homes to carry out annual boiler checks.

We would like our tenants to understand we want to keep our tenants, contractors and our staff as safe as possible from both COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and also from faulty boilers. We are very aware for the need to observe social distancing as far as is possible.

Therefore, when you receive your letter regarding an appointment to allow this essential gas servicing to take place, please contact the relevant Gas Contractor to let them know immediately if:

• You or someone in your household is experiencing Covid-19 symptoms

• You or someone in your household is self-isolating/shielding
  

WRB contact number: 01382 204030 and covers Arbroath, Brechin, Carnoustie, Monifieth & Montrose.

Saltire call centre contact number: 01698 743647 and covers Forfar, Kirriemuir and landward areas.

In these circumstances, we can postpone the boiler check and we will make an appointment for the work to be carried out immediately after your period of self-isolation/shielding ends. If for some reason we are unable to carry out these works, we must record the fact that it is related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

If you do not fall into the two categories above, we would ask you to allow this vital work to be completed. Please be assured that our staff and contractors are following government guidance in relation to hygiene and safety. Only people with no symptoms of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) will be sent out and, when entering homes, they will clean/sanitise hands before and after each job and wipe down all surfaces with anti-bacterial wipes. They will also guide you and your family to assist everyone to maintain a safe distance of two metres.

We do also have protective clothing and equipment to carry out checks and repairs in households where a COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is suspected or confirmed if necessary where an emergency repair is necessary and we would again ask that you mention this when contacting the service.

We are all facing a very challenging situation and by working together we can keep everyone; tenants, staff and contractors safe from both this virus and faulty gas services.

Housing Planned Maintenance – COVID-19 Update

The following contract work in our tenanted properties has been temporarily put on hold and our contractors are contacting tenants affected by this. Where work has already started, it will be completed as soon as possible and when it is safe to do so: 

• Bathroom upgrades
• Kitchen upgrades
• Energy Efficiency works – open sites are being tidied up and properties where cavity insulation has been extracted will be made wind and water-tight.
• Electrical Testing
• Electric Heating Upgrades
• Window Upgrades
• External Repaints

 

We will be continuing to carry out annual servicing of gas heating systems as we are required to do so by law.

If you have had improvement works cancelled due to the lockdown, please be assured that we will be in touch to reschedule as soon as it is safe to do so. Please keep an eye on the Housing Blog and our website for further updates on our other contracts listed above.

NHS advice can be found on the NHS Coronavirus Covid 19 website –– the main symptoms of the coronavirus include; 

• A new, continuous, dry cough

• A high temperature

We appreciate your co-operation at this time and hope you find this information useful, but if you have any queries about this post, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01307 492094 or by email to HousingTechnical@angus.gov.uk