ADDLiving the specialist residential lettings and management company, which is this week seeing a return of staff to its residential sites, has revealed strong occupancy figures despite the impact of Covid-19 and has also detailed its Covid-19 precautions and procedures.

These may be useful for other companies bringing staff back to work.

The ADDLiving residential sites currently consist of over 900 units –  include 371 units in Velocity Village in Sheffield, 152 units in Headingly Park in Leeds, 198 units in the Merlin portfolio in South London and 182 apartments in the Brymore portfolio in South London.

According to Erdal Kacar, Head of Operations:

“Both our letting and vacancy levels across our portfolio have so far held up well.

“At Headingley Park Leeds, our occupancy rate is over 90% and we have agreed a further 8 lets, which when completed, will take occupancy to 96.7%.

“In Velocity Village in Sheffield, we are maintaining occupancy at above 97%.

“In terms of rents collected we have averaged between 98% and 99% across all our sites for both April and May, which we believe are exceptionally strong in the current market.”

ADDLiving believes it has been able to successfully let and manage the residential properties through the Lockdown due to its online management and lettings platform.

Through using its digital platform the company has been able to organise “virtual” viewings, apply and deal with lease issues and customers have been able to view, sign a tenancy agreement and be in the position to move into a property – without having to leave their current housing.

“On the management side, our residents have also been able to use our digital portal for any needs such as repair requests, amenity bookings, account queries and connecting with neighbours,” Kacar added.

The company is putting staff back on site as of this week  – but only by obeying the strictest Health and Safety guidance and has issued extensive Covid-19 Safe Working protocols:

General

All members of staff are encouraged to read material published by the Government website following guidelines on how to work safely during the pandemic.

1. Always maintain 2 meters distance from others. Where this is not possible wear a face mask.
2. Wash hands regularly for at least 20 seconds using soap
3. Walk or cycle to work where possible and use own private vehicle where you can
4. If you must use public transport, then wear face mask and maintain social distancing as much as possible

Office

Perspex shields have been put up in front of customer facing staff desks to minimise risk of water droplets reaching staff members and customers through breathing, coughing and sneezing

Lines put down on floor of office to indicate safe standing distance for customers at 2 meters from desks.

Seating to be rearranged to facilitate special distancing.

Maximum 2 customers to be allowed into the offices at any one time and encouraged to observe social distancing.

Additional customers will queue outside the offices at 2 meters distances from one another.

Lines on floor outside offices have been drawn to indicate required distance for queuing customers.

Lettings

ADDLiving will continue to encourage ‘virtual views’ through use of virtual tour hosted on our website, floor plans, pictures and videos of units shared with prospects.

Viewings will only be conducted in vacant units following incumbent tenants’ departure and post tenancy clean of unit.

Viewings can be carried out in show homes where no one is in occupation.

Customers to be met in the office and escorted to the vacant unit or show home.

Social distancing measures are always to be observed.

Lifts will be used separately where social distancing is not possible.

Customers can view unit with member of staff present, but social distancing to be preserved by member of staff standing at one end of the room and moving where necessary.

If this is not possible then the customers should view the unit with the member of staff present in the property.

Property Management

All customers are being sent correspondence to encourage use of the Tenants’ Portal to raise any property management queries.

Customers can also call or email their enquiries to staff.

Visiting the office to raise routine queries such as maintenance and accounts related matters will be discouraged.

Should customers visit the site offices staff will provide service maintaining social distancing and all other safety precautions.

Once customer has been attended to a gentle reminder will be given to encourage use of email and telephone in the future.

Maintenance

Full maintenance service will be resumed with safety precautions.

All maintenance enquiries will be triaged before attendance to ensure attendance is necessary.

An example of where attendance may not be needed is if a fuse has tripped and can be reset by the customer.

Customers will also be asked if they are suffering with Covid-19 or if they are displaying symptoms and thereby self-isolating.

If this is the case the maintenance operative will not attend until the self-isolation period has passed.

Maintenance operatives will wear face masks and gloves when attending customers’ homes.

Customers will be asked to remain in a separate room to the maintenance operative as he/she carries out the task.

Once the task is finished the maintenance operative should wipe down surfaces, he/she has encounter using antiseptic cleaning product and paper towels, which should then be disposed of appropriately.

Travel to and from the Office

Travel to and from the office should be completed on foot, by bike or private car where possible.

If this is not possible staff to  use public transport as safely as possible, following all government guidelines on social distancing.

Where using public transport cannot be avoided varying travel times to avoid busy periods is recommended.

Staff to agree any variation in working hours as a result of avoiding rush hour with the Operations Director.

https://www.addliving.co.uk/