We are writing you to in light of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) to let you know what steps we are taking to safeguard our clients and staff, to provide you with some general advice and to let you know how an outbreak may affect you.
We will be continuing to provide the highest levels of service while following all the relevant guidance and advice issued by HM Government and Public Health England, and we will be embracing all the recommended procedures for preventing infection.
When we visit your development, we will not shake hands with you or stand too close – we’re not being unfriendly, we are simply promoting your welfare and ours.
Our on-site teams are under strict instructions to report any symptoms of illness, however minor, so that we can minimise any risk to you and to their colleagues.
We will be staying up to date with, and following to the letter, all the latest advice from Government and health services.
How coronavirus (COVID-19) may affect the management services we provide
We are closely following the Government guidance to employers and businesses which outlines the steps to be taken to help reduce risk and prevent people from catching and spreading COVID-19.
We are aiming to maintain a full management service where reasonably practical but it is very likely that this will become increasingly difficult if the coronavirus spreads significantly.
We will continue to follow Government guidance and this may include having our staff work from home. In the event that our office has to close, our staff will still be contactable via phone and email, but there might be some limitations in the services we can provide. There may also be a delay in sending out applications for payment and circular letters to all lessees at a building and making payments to contractors.
We may also need to postpone any planned site visits or Annual General Meetings.
How coronavirus (COVID-19) may affect you
We fully encourage all our clients, lessees and residents living in properties we manage to follow the advice offered by the Government.
Public Health England recommends that the following general cold and flu precautions are taken to help prevent people from catching and spreading COVID-19:
- wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
- always wash your hands when you get home or into work
- use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
- cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
- put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards
- try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
- clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
- do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
The symptoms of COVID-19 are:
- a cough
- a high temperature
- shortness of breath
But these symptoms do not necessarily mean you have the illness.
The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu.
How coronavirus is spread
Because it’s a new illness, we do not know exactly how coronavirus spreads from person to person. Similar viruses are spread in cough droplets. It’s very unlikely it can be spread through things like packages or food. More information is available on the NHS website:
What to do if you think you could have COVID-19:
If there’s a chance you think you could have COVID-19, do not go to a GP surgery or hospital. Call NHS 111, stay indoors and avoid close contact with other people. Tell the agent you speak to at 111 about your symptoms and any recent travel.
If you need to self-isolate or are diagnosed with COVID-19
Follow the Government self-isolation advice:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-people-with-confirmed-or-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection
How coronavirus (COVID-19) may affect onsite services and facilities
Site staff
If your development is serviced by a building manager, caretaker or porter, we have provided them with general health and safety and personal hygiene guidance, including good handwashing routines and cleaning regimes. In the event that your site staff become ill and need to self-isolate we will consult with the freeholder/RMC for the block and with Public Health England regarding the necessary steps to be taken and the arrangements to be made for alternative cover. It may be necessary to use part-time staff and therefore it may not be possible to replicate the same level of service you are currently enjoying.
Use of leisure facilities
If your development has a swimming pool or gym, or other leisure facility, we do not have any immediate plans to close them facilities, but we will monitor advice from the Government. However, we strongly urge you or any guests visiting you not to use these facilities if you are feeling unwell. If you sub-let your property, please be sure that your tenants and your managing agents are provided with a copy of this letter.
Laundry Facilities
Properties with communal laundry facilities: please note that clothes, sheets and other items which have been used by someone with the virus or suspected to be infected cannot be washed or dried in communal laundry rooms.
Cleaning common areas (where there are suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19)
Coronavirus symptoms are similar to a flu-like illness and include cough, fever, or shortness of breath. Once symptomatic, the advice is that all surfaces that the person has come into contact with must be cleaned including:
- All surfaces and objects which are visibly contaminated with body fluids
- All potentially contaminated high-contact areas such as toilets, door handles, telephones, light switches, lift call buttons etc.
Public areas where a symptomatic individual has passed through and spent minimal time in (such as corridors) but which are not visibly contaminated with body fluids do not need to be specially cleaned and disinfected.
If a person becomes ill in a shared space, these should be cleaned using disposable cloths and household detergents, according to current recommended workplace legislation and practice.
We will liaise with the regular cleaning contractors for your development and also with specialist cleaning companies to arrange for additional deep cleaning if and when needed.
Whilst the common areas are regularly cleaned, it would be sensible if you also take common sense precautions to safeguard yourself by thoroughly washing your hands after touching hard surfaces or the walls, lift call buttons, light switches etc.
We trust that the above information is helpful and thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Please contact our office or monitor our website for more information and for any updates relating to the management of your property: https://www.gracemiller.co.uk/news/1/
