Gas Tag has responded to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak by launching a new feature to support housing providers and compliance contractors.
The pandemic is causing issues for providers when attempting to carry out regulatory requirements, such as annual gas safety checks and other compliance services.
The sector has been advised that it should continue to carry out gas and safety checks as normal. In the event providers are unable to complete the work due to COVID-19, they are required to keep records and evidence.
To support housing providers and contractors to easily report on incidents where they are unable to carry out work due to a resident self-isolating, Gas Tag has launched a new feature that allows the contractor to mark an unable to access (UTA) as due to self-isolation.
This information can then be used along with the geo-tagged and time-stamped photographic evidence to demonstrate that reasonable efforts have been made to attend a property and carry out the safety checks.
Peter Howe, Chief Technology Officer at Gas Tag, said: “We have been talking to our clients throughout this outbreak and it was clear that they would be needing further support as they faced increasing difficulties accessing properties.
“Thanks to years of development work our product is easily adaptable and our team has worked hard behind the scenes to get this update ready and available as quickly as possible.
“The COVID-19 outbreak has meant we are all working in uncharted waters and having to adapt to changing conditions. We hope this update will help housing providers and contractors in their efforts to keep residents safe and meet their regulatory obligations.”
Housing providers are also being urged to make use of MOT style servicing to carry out as many annual gas checks as possible to provide them with contingency in the event of staff shortage.
MOT style servicing provides the flexibility to carry out annual gas safety checks up to two months before the deadline date. Similar to a car MOT, the original deadline date will be retained.
Gas Tag clients can easily switch to MOT style servicing and the tech company is reaching out to its clients to support them with the changes.
The new feature will be available to Gas Tag users in an update from Monday 30th March.
