Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s housing repairs company is asking residents to isolate themselves while staff carry out urgent work amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
Unitas Stoke-on-Trent Ltd will now only be carrying out urgent repairs and gas and electrical safety checks due to the pandemic.
In a statement, councillor Joanne Powell-Beckett (pictured above), Unitas Board Member and the City Council’s Housing Portfolio Holder, said: “We are sorry for the disruption to our normal services, but we must do this to protect the health and wellbeing of our customers and our staff.
“When we attend your property to undertake urgent repairs our tradesmen will be wearing gloves and masks to protect you and your family members. We will wipe down all surfaces as we leave the property.”
Urgent repairs include:
- Gas escapes
- Loss of hot water or central heating
- Loss of power down to electrical faults
- Leaks and floods
- Insecure properties
- Blocked drains
- Structural issues to property causing a safety concern
Residents can report repairs on the Unitas website and they will be asked the following questions:
‘Is anyone in your home displaying any symptoms of the coronavirus?’
‘Is anyone in your home self-isolating due to the coronavirus?’
If residents answer yes, Unitas can still undertake the repair. To do this, the company will ask residents to open the front door when staff arrive, and occupants must isolate themselves in a room in the property away from where the repair work is required.
Unitas workers will then enter the property and once the job has been completed, they will leave, closing the door.
Steve Wilson, Operations Director, said: “Unitas is continuing to carry out annual gas and electrical safety checks. Residents’ safety is paramount, and these checks ensure homes continue to be safe through this period of uncertainty.
“We will continue this work until such time that the government or governing body advises us not to. We thank everyone for their patience and understanding at this difficult time.”
