Coronavirus - Homes & Communities Update

Following the latest changes to Government and Public Health Wales advice around the Covid-19 pandemic, and Wales being moved to Tier 4 status, we have updated our current service offering to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our customers and colleagues. 

At a glance guide to services 

• Repairs – If you need a repair inside your home, we will only be able to complete them if they are urgent. If you have already booked a non-urgent repair, we will be in touch to re-arrange a repair as soon as we are able. If you have an appointment for a repair outside of your home, this will continue as normal.  
• Essential safety work – we will continue to provide our essential gas and electrical safety checks.  
• Details of how our trades teams are continuing to work safely can be found below.  
• Lettings – we will only let our homes in urgent situations. These include applicants who are being discharged from hospital, are homeless, have an urgent medical need or are fleeing domestic abuse. 
• You should continue paying your rent as normal. If you are worried about your finances our team is ready to help and can provide advice and support so please get in touch 
• Our offices are closed but our teams are still working from home and you can continue to contact them over the phone on 01633 212375 or 01792 488288, email info@poblgroup.co.uk  and through our social media channels.  

Keeping you safe 

We are continuing to provide our essential gas and electrical safety checks, as well as completing emergency repairs. To help keep you and our engineers safe we are taking extra safety measures.

Our repairs service

We have a duty of care to our customers and our colleagues to ensure we comply with the government’s advice on social distancing. Until further notice we will be only be completing urgent repairs and essential safety works.

It is essential that you let us carry out work identified as urgent or essential, as these help us keep you safe in your home.

Examples of emergency repairs:

• Storm, accident or flood damage
• Gas leaks – contact the National Gas Emergency Line on 0800 111 999 immediately, then call us
• Complete loss of electric supply – contact your electricity supplier first
• Complete loss of water supply – contact your water supplier first
• Blocked or leaking foul main drain
• Blocked toilet where there is only one in your home
• Major pipe bursts
• Major roof leaks
• Broken main entrance door /window posing security risk
• Blocked flue
• Smoke detector not working (unless you have another one working in the property, this does not include changing batteries)
• Uncontainable water leaks and water leaks that may affect electrics in the home

Examples of urgent repairs:

• Electrical faults
• Minor roof leaks
• Heating failures
• Plumbing leaks
• Non flushing toilet
• Loss of hot water

Examples of urgent safety works:

• Gas safety checks
• Electrical safety checks
• Repair or installation of minor adaptations, such as grab rails

If you have a repair that falls outside of these categories but you believe that it is urgent or essential please contact us to discuss the issue.

Keep up to date

Because the situation is changing quickly, we advise that you regularly check our website or social media for the latest updates.

Our services 23 October to 9 November 

• Repairs – If you need a repair inside your home, we will only be able to complete them if they are an emergency. If you have already booked a non-emergency repair, we will be in touch to arrange a repair after 9 November. If you have an appointment for a repair outside of your home, this will continue as normal. 
• Essential safety work – we will continue to provide our essential gas and electrical safety checks. Details of how our teams are continuing to work safely can be found below. 
• Lettings – we will let our homes in emergency situations. If you are currently involved in a mutual exchange, this will be put on hold till after the 9 November. 
• Getting in touch – our teams are still working from home and you can continue to contact them over the phone on 01633 212375 or 01792 488288, email info@poblgroup.co.uk  and through our social media channels. 

Keeping you safe 

We are continuing to provide our essential gas and electrical safety checks, as well as completing emergency repairs. To help keep you and our engineers safe we are taking extra safety measures. 

Here to help 

If you’re worried about paying your rent, please get in touch to speak to a member of the team who will be able to provide you with specialist support and advice. 

If you are in need of community support, you can find contact details for your Neighbourhood Manager here

Our offices may still be closed but here’s a summary of the current services we are providing to customers.

Services offered may change on a local level based on any community restrictions/lockdown that may be put in place by Welsh Government.

Andrew Vye, Managing Director, Pobl Homes & Communities, has answered some of the questions that our customer service teams are being frequently asked. Take a look at what he has to say…

A Letter to all social housing tenants in Wales – Welsh Government

The coronavirus pandemic is having an impact on all our lives. The Welsh Government is taking action to make sure help and support is available when you need it, right across Wales. Local authorities and registered social landlords have agreed everyone should be treated fairly.

You can download the letter below:

The Welsh government has also published information for tenants in Wales on the support available to them.

https://gov.wales/coronavirus-covid-19-support-for-tenants-in-wales

Customer Update

We know that this is a time of great concern for our customers and their families, so here are some of the measures we have introduced to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our customers and colleagues.

Pobl Homes and Communities Managing Director Andrew Vye explains what Pobl are doing to keep you safe, secure and supported..

Help for financial hardship

We understand that you may face financial hardship in the near future. We will not evict any customer who gets into rent arrears as a direct result of Coronavirus but we do need you to contact us early, if you are worried about your finances. Our team is ready to help, we can provide advice and support to claim benefits you may be entitled to.

Services – need to know

• We have closed our offices to customers 
• Many of our team are working from home, supported by our IT services
• We are focusing our efforts on supporting our vulnerable customers
• We have introduced doorstep screening, our colleagues will ask our customers if anyone in the household is self-isolating before we enter your homes.
• We may call you so that we can update your customer record. We will always verify it is us calling by providing details that we already hold such as your tenancy start date. This information will help us improve your services.
• We continue to let our homes but only for urgent allocations. These include applicants who are being discharged from hospital, are homeless, have an urgent medical need or are fleeing domestic abuse.

Our repairs service during Coronavirus

We have a duty of care to our customers and our colleagues to ensure we comply with the government’s advice on social distancing. Until further notice we will be only be completing emergency and urgent repairs and essential safety works.

It is essential that you let us complete our essential safety works, as these help us keep you safe in your home.

We have implemented new ways of working that will enable us to complete these works safely. If you or anyone in your home is symptomatic please let us know before we arrive at your home so that we ensure our operatives and contractors take appropriate additional safety measures.

To help us make sure your home is safe, we are continuing with our essential gas and electrical safety checks. Richard Young, our Head of Compliance shares his message for our customers who are due a home safety check.

Examples of emergency repairs:

• Storm, accident or flood damage
• Gas leaks – contact the National Gas Emergency Line on 0800 111 999 immediately, then call us
• Complete loss of electric supply – contact your electricity supplier first
• Complete loss of water supply – contact your water supplier first
• Blocked or leaking foul main drain
• Blocked toilet where there is only one in your home
• Major pipe bursts
• Major roof leaks
• Broken main entrance door /window posing security risk
• Blocked flue
• Smoke detector not working (unless you have another one working in the property, this does not include changing batteries)
• Uncontainable water leaks and water leaks that may affect electrics in the home

Examples of urgent repairs:

• Electrical faults
• Minor roof leaks
• Heating failures
• Plumbing leaks
• Non flushing toilet
• Loss of hot water

Examples of urgent safety works:

• Gas safety checks
• Electrical safety checks
• Repair or installation of minor adaptations, such as grab rails

Let us know if you are self-isolating

Please contact us if you are self-isolating or have a confirmed case of Coronavirus. If you are elderly or have an underlying health condition and are worried about coping, contact our Customer Service Team. If we cannot assist directly, we will try and find another agency or group who can.

Keep up to date

Because the situation is changing quickly, we advise that you check our website or social media for latest updates.