.   Do visit this page regularly as we will update it to reflect any changes in circumstances.

On this page you can see the tenant letter of 24/3/20 and further explanations of what it means for you regarding:

• Your tenancy agreement
• Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
• Preparing for the worst
• Employment situation
• Income support measures
• Rent payment
• Repair procedures

We sent all tenants this letter:

More details and explanations for the letter

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Your tenancy agreement

We want you to feel comfortable and secure in your home. We normally contact you towards the end of the fixed term of your tenancy and offer you a chance to extend it for 6 or 12 months or more. At first, during this crisis, we will not be doing that. This doesn’t mean that your tenancy is coming to an end.

If for any reason we don’t extend by way of contract your tenancy will become a contractual (or possibly statutory) periodic tenancy. This will run on from month to month without interruption. If you want to extend for a fixed term we will be able to arrange that later on.

So to repeat – “not extending” does not mean your tenancy will end. It just means not extending to a new fixed term.

If you have any questions or worries at all about this do please email or call us.

Housing Health and Safety Rating System

This is a short explanation of how a house is assessed to see if there are any hazards that need attention. How hazardous or dangerous any fault is in these areas depends on two things 1) the severity of the fault and 2) the ages and disabilities of the occupants.

You can also read the full UK Gov COVID-19 and renting: guidance for landlords, tenants and local authorities which covers these points and lots more. But be aware – it is non-statutory, just guidance

How hazards in your home are assessed

We or your landlord or environmental health work out if there’s a risk of harm due to hazards in your home.

What is considered:

• the chance of harm
• how serious it would be
• any extra risk to children or older people

Any hazards in your home are then rated as “category 1” or “category 2”. Category 1 hazards are the only ones we will try and deal with. But do see below for the restraints we will be working under.

You can download a full list of the hazards considered along with short explanations in this PDF version here.

While the coronavirus threat is still very active the only hazards we would consider as giving rise to emergencies are listed below. Other hazards are very unlikely to develop as all our houses are in good quality to start with.

The main concern we have is with boiler breakdowns or faults and that is covered in hazard 2, 6 and 9. Other less common ones are blocked drains and leaking pipes in hazard 17, electrical failure under 23, roof failure or leakage under 29

What you must do to help

Be very careful about what you put down the drains – sinks, bath, shower, toilet. Be sure not to pour hot fats or similar down the kitchen sink. Don’t put anything into the toilet except toilet paper – no nappies or sanitary towels.

Be careful with door handles and hinges.

Test your smoke alarms regularly. If they are battery powered it is your responsibility to replace the battery when it runs down. This is usually indicated by a “chirp” every minute or so.

We do have to remind you that your tenancy agreement very specifically forbids the use of gas or liquid fuel portable heaters in your house.

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Preparing for the worst

Get some things setup for an emergency –

Q: What happens if the boiler fails and we cannot repair it for some time?
A: have ready at least two working electric kettles and two or three electric fires.

Q: What happens if your cooker fails and we cannot repair it for some time?
A: have ready a microwave oven

Q: What happens if the electricity fails and we cannot repair it for some time?
A: have ready several decent LED battery powered/rechargeable lights.

Make sure you know where all the safety switches are located. Work out how you would find them in the dark.

• gas emergency stopcock
• electricity consumer unit and master switches
• water stopcock

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Employment situation

There is a large labour shortage at present for field and farm workers. Your present job may not need you but the farmers do and if you are fit and able why not? Here are some sites where you can look up job vacancies on farms. We do not make any guarantees about them – use your own judgement.

As we understand it if you have a contract of employment all the legislation regarding proper notice etc must still be adhered to. If you are working for a company that cannot continue trading normally, due to the closures, and have to stop working your employer can if he wants get UK Gov help. This applies even to people on zero hours contracts.

He or she should be able to get a grant for 80% of your salary or wages. He can then pay you that and keep you employed. Even while you are doing nothing at home. This is called being “on furlough”.

This is a very good UK Gov explanation of how it works for employees

Of course, it is up to your employer whether or not he uses that scheme. But in many cases he cannot simply say truthfully to you “We cannot afford to pay you while we are shut”. Challenge him, kindly, if he does and refer him or her to UK Gov Claim for your employee’s wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Work with him and help him (or her) to get the grant and continue paying you.

If you have any doubts about the way you have been treated by your employer you should contact your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

• Lancashire West Citizens Advice (West Lancashire) Unit 47 The Concourse Shopping Centre, SKELMERSDALE, Lancashire, WN8 6LN
• Wigan Citizens Advice Wigan Life Centre The Wiend, WIGAN, Greater Manchester, WN1 1NH

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Income support measures

Your number one priority is to see if you are eligible for financial assistance. Usually this is Universal Credit. It may be Housing Benefit as well on the old scheme. Even if you have some money coming in from your employer you may still need new assistance or to have your present assistance increased.

You must check yourself to see if you are entitled to it. No one will come to you offering the assistance. So make sure you check your eligibility then apply for Universal Credit. To get your housing benefit element of that or similar you may well need a copy of your tenancy agreement so make sure you have that to hand. It will also be good to have all the other things you might need like P45, bank statements, National Insurance number etc

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Rent payment

The majority of UK workers will be eligible for rent via Universal Credit or you should get most of your regular wages from your employer while working under the new UK Gov Claim for your employee’s wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

If you are self employed you are also entitled to help through the UK Gov (COVID-19) Self-employment Income Support Scheme

As a last resort you can apply to your local council for something called the Discretionary Housing Payment or DHP. You would need to contact your local council directly. The councils also have support pages. Here are the three local ones

• West Lancashire DHP    Support
• Wigan DHP    Support
• Sefton DHP    Support

If you have exhausted all those possibilities and still find yourself in difficulty paying the rent then fill in this form to tell us your situation in full. Do it as soon as you realise you are having a problem and certainly before your rent is due.

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Repair procedures

If you or anyone in your household has self-diagnosed with coronavirus you must tell us when you call in with a repair problem. Also, if someone comes to your house to fix a fault you must confirm to them that neither you nor anyone in the house has self-diagnosed in the last 14 days or tell them if someone has self-diagnosed.

Very importantly you must also tell us if anyone in your household is in the “vulnerable person” category. You must tell us when you first report the fault and then confirm that to the tradesperson when he or she arrives to do the work.

Depending on the exact nature of the fault and the situation with our tradespeople you may have to do many things in order to allow any repair work to go ahead. These may include any or all of things like:

• leaving the house completely while the tradesperson is in
• not being in the same room as the tradesperson
• not going within 2m or 6ft of the tradesperson
• no personal contact or shaking hands with the tradesperson
• opening all the doors and windows before the tradesperson comes in in order to air the house thoroughly
• having a supply of soap and running water for the tradesperson to wash their hands
• not sneezing or coughing into the open air while the tradesperson is in the house
• clearing away all household objects obstructing the area being worked on
• keep all pets out of the house at all times
• follow our code of COVID-19 hygiene