In response to Covid-19 (Coronavirus) and following Government guidance for businesses in Northern Ireland, Habinteg Housing Association (Ulster) Ltd has implemented a number of measures which will remain in place until further notice.
Rent Payments and Money Issues
Staffing
Our office based staff have been redeployed to work from home and are covering all core duties and providing essential services from remote working environments, in line with Government guidance. Appointments, meetings and visits are being carried out virtually except in certain circumstances, in accordance with strict Health and Safety guidelines. We appreciate your patience and understanding while these working conditions remain in place.
An automated telephone system is in place. When calling the offices, please listen to the message and follow the instructions. Choose the option relevant to your enquiry and your message will be directed to the relevant member of staff for response. Postal correspondence is likewise being redirected and forwarded to the relevant Team or Staff Member. We will endeavour to respond in accordance with our usual standards of service but please be aware that there may be some delay in response due to the nature of current working conditions.
Offices and Community Hubs
Our offices and reception areas in Holywood and Derry/Londonderry along with scheme offices, Community Hubs and communal facilities at Sheltered Schemes across Northern Ireland are closed to the public until further notice. In order to ensure Health and Safety measures for tenants, staff and contractors, there whould, where possible, be no face-to-face contact apart from what is deemed essential to continue delivering core services.
Housing with Support
All properties owned by Habinteg providing specialist Housing with Support services are managed by Partner Organisations. Please contact each organisation directly for their own guidance regarding visits and access. A list of our Supported Housing schemes can be accessed HERE, with links to each organisation website.
Repairs
Wherever possible, Habinteg will continue to facilitate ROUTINE, URGENT and EMERGENCY response repairs subject to appropriate risk assessment and ensuring safe working practice. We cannot guarantee repairs will be completed within our repair response times, but we will endeavour to get repairs completed as quickly as we possibly can. The situation will be continually monitored. In order to comply with current guidance, we will be implementing risk assessments prior to undertaking any work and will need to carry out checks ahead of visiting any home or scheme. This will include asking a number of questions before we make a decision to complete a visit. Please do not be offended by this, our staff and our tenants’ and residents’ health is of paramount importance to us. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.
Planned Maintenance Works
Planned Maintenance Works (including heating upgrades, windows, doors and kitchen replacement programmes, insulation works and repaint schemes) will continue subject to appropriate risk assessment and ensuring safe working practice. Any ongoing works which have commenced, including kitchen replacements will be completed as soon as is possible within current government guidance. Please be assured that the safety and well-being of tenants, staff and contractors is of the utmost importance to us.
If you need to speak to us, or ask a question, please use link below or call us, all contact info HERE.
Tenants displaying symptoms of COVID-19
Any tenant displaying symptoms of the virus MUST follow the official advice regarding isolation. We also ask that you confidentially inform us of this, to ensure safety measures for other tenants, staff, contractors and visitors to your home. We advise all tenants to download the Stop COVID NI contact tracing app.
For the latest public information regarding the outbreak in Northern Ireland please go to www.health-ni.gov.uk
Please be aware of scams during the current pandemic.
Make sure you are on your guard against scams currently taking place across Northern Ireland during the coronavirus (COVID-19). The Scamwise partnership in Northern Ireland offers advice about coronavirus scams, providing information on different types of scams taking place and on how to protect yourself from scammers. Download a copy of the COVID-19 scam flyer