The UK Government has announced new nationwide restrictions and as a frontline organisation we want to reassure you that we will continue to provide critical services to tenants.
We realise that there are more than 60,000 tenants who rely on us for a safe and secure home and we will continue to operate services in a COVID Secure way. This includes:
Housing and tenancy services
- Our housing offices will remain closed to the public and we will continue to operate an appointment only system
- We will continue to allocate properties, with the HomeHunt cycle continuing to run as normal
- We will continue to facilitate property viewings with single people (sole tenancy) and two people (joint tenancies)
- We will continue to collect rent. If you are struggling to pay your rent, please discuss this with your Neighbourhood Coordinator. You can find their details here
- We will continue to provide financial support to tenants via the Money Matters Team
- Our sheltered and extra care schemes will not allow visitors, other than health and social care workers and, for tenants who live alone, family members from one household that has been chosen as part of a tenant’s support bubble. Scheme managers will be on site and available to answer any queries.
- Housing colleagues will contact our most vulnerable tenants to check on their welfare
- We will continue to provide specialist support services for tenants who are involved in domestic abuse or anti-social behaviour
Property maintenance
- Our routine repairs service will continue
- Our emergency out of hours repairs service will continue
- We will continue to carry out legal obligated safety checks for gas and electricity
- We will continue to maintain our estates and keep our neighbourhoods clean
- Our property investment schemes will continue to operate
- We have robust COVID-19 Secure measures in place to ensure our routine and emergency repairs services can continue, while protecting both our tenants and colleagues. Gentoo tradespeople and contractors working on behalf of Gentoo, are instructed to follow safe systems of work and have the necessary PPE to carry out their role
If you have a prearranged repair appointment, this will continue as planned and there is no need to cancel. Gentoo tradespeople will call you in advance of arriving at your home to identify the location of the repair. Please ensure the area is well ventilated with windows and doors open where possible.
Our tradespeople will wear a face covering when entering your property (excluding those with medical exemptions) but may remove this when carrying out their duties. For your safety, please ensure you maintain a safe two metre social distance from our employees.
If you do not feel comfortable inviting people into your home, you may wish to contact us and rearrange your appointment for a later date.
If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or are showing any symptoms of the virus, please contact us as soon as you can prior to your appointment.
Property investment
- Our property investment schemes will continue to operate, with contractors required to follow safe systems of work
- If your property is part of an upcoming property investment scheme e.g. window or roof replacement scheme, we will write to you with a proposed date to have the work completed
- If you do not feel comfortable inviting people into your home, you may wish to contact us and rearrange this appointment. Please note, any appointments which are rearranged will be moved to the end of the scheme except for those that are classified as extremely clinically vulnerable or who are self-isolating with COVID-19 or symptoms
New homes
- We will continue to build new homes, with construction sites fully operational
- Gentoo Homes sales and marketing suites will remain closed to the general public and we will operate an appointment only system
Please take care and stay safe.
