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Housing during Coronavirus

Updates on Clergy housing and maintenance during the COVID-19 outbreak

As some restrictions have been intermittently relaxed and re-imposed, we have been assessing the situation, and thought it would be a good time for an update to explain what service we can provide for the next while.

In essence, we have only been able to carry out emergency work for much of the last few months, and have running a certain amount of work in progress but not finished, or ordered and not yet started.

Although the restrictions are lifting, circumstances are not at all “back to normal”. The contractors that we use are still finding their feet, and several still have staff on furlough. Not all builder’s merchants are yet open, some are offering a restricted service, and there is a substantial shortage of materials that are available.

Government advice is clear that repairs and inspections can be safely undertaken with the right precautions, so safe ways of working for the contractors and our occupants have to be put in place. With this in mind, we are now issuing a Guidance note with all new work.

If anyone has specific safety concerns, or reasons for continuing isolation, we have a process to address this.

Our current assessment is that unfortunately this all means that work will get done at about half normal speed for the foreseeable future.

So for the coming months our focus is likely to be restricted as follows:

Reactive Maintenance.

We will clear the outstanding work.

Emergency work only will be possible in June. Please do call should you have a buildings emergency and we will sort things out.

We will review capacity for buildings maintenance on a monthly basis after that. We may well have to prioritise, but please continue to submit new requests by email from 1st July.

Quinquennial Inspections.

We will complete the immediate work identified in 2019 inspections that is still outstanding on some properties.

We will carry out the full 2020 programme of inspections so that more up to date information is available on the condition of our properties for future planning. We will then carry out any emergency work that is identified in the inspections.

Vacancy Works

We will complete current works, or arrange work round moving dates by agreement. This could include things like decorating after the move, rather than in the vacancy.

We will also continue to work with the archdeacons to prioritise workload to allow moves to take place to suit appointments.

Servicing and safety testing

Boilers will be serviced as usual and all gas and electric checks will be done on time.

Trees and gardens

Emergency work only will be undertaken.