Coronavirus - Service Update - 5th November 2020
The impact of Coronavirus on our resources means that we face a significant repairs backlog.
Our teams are working hard to complete these repairs and ensure that we return to our usual service, but we anticipate disruption to the repairs service continuing to March 2021.
Repairing and re-letting homes
Safe ways of working allow us to continue to deliver repairs, but do mean that they take longer to complete. This also impacts the speed at which we can repair and re-let empty homes.
The pandemic further affects our staffing resources – often at very short notice – which adds to the backlog of repairs. We appreciate your understanding if we need to rearrange your appointment, or if your repair is delayed.
Our teams are receiving a high volume of calls. The Customer Contact Centre is particularly busy on a Monday morning, so you may want to call back at another time during the week when we usually have shorter wait times.
If your repair is not an emergency, we will endeavour to schedule your repair as soon as practically possible, but you are likely to face a longer wait than usual.
We remain committed to attend to an emergency repair within 24 hours and offer an emergency only repairs service out of hours.
It is important that you understand which repairs are your responsibility as a tenant. Our handy repairs obligation booklet has more detail on this.
Please allow us access to your home when you have a repair or service booked and ensure that there is an adult aged over 18 present. It is also vital that you let us know if you are no longer able to make a scheduled appointment. This will allow us to divert our resources to where they are needed most.
Working safely
Staff visiting your home are all provided with PPE (personal protective equipment) to minimise the risk of infection. This means they may be wearing masks or other protective equipment and will always have their official Incommunities ID for your re-assurance.
In order to keep you and your home safe, legally we have to undertake gas safety and electrical compliance services. When undertaking these essential checks, we will follow strict government guidelines and request that you maintain a safe distance away from our operatives.
You will be asked questions before we enter your property to determine whether you or anyone else in your home is unwell or self-isolating. If so, unless the repair is an emergency, we will not enter your home and will reschedule your appointment.
Also, if you let us know about any health problems, disabilities or other vulnerabilities in your household we can update your records and respond to calls and emergencies appropriately.
Keeping updated
Once you have a repair logged with us, there is no need to contact us again unless your circumstances change – we will get to it as soon as we can.
We would like to assure you all of our teams are working hard to reduce the backlog and continue to deliver repairs and services safely and effectively.
If you need to get in touch, our customer services team are available via telephone, email and webchat:
Incommunities
Telephone: 01274 257777
Email: enquiry@incommunities.co.uk
Webchat: www.incommunities.co.uk
Sadeh Lok
Telephone: 01484 435715