Covid-19

Most THCH staff are still working from home. However, you can still speak to a member of staff, report a repair or pay your rent by emailing us at customerservices@thch.org.uk or using our main phone number 020 7780 3070. Please bear with us if it takes longer than normal to meet our published service standards.

Our office is still closed to the public  and only open on an exceptional appointment basis  where we are unable to complete your service request via the phone or email and you need to see us face to face. This is to keep both staff and customers safe and well.  We will keep this under review and when it is appropriate to do so we open back on our usual basis.      

In line with Government Guidance  we are now able to begin working through our backlog of routine jobs that have accumulated over the Lockdown period. We have now begun working through these jobs.

Emergency repairs can be reported in the usual way by phoning our customer services team on 020 7780 3070 and will be given priority. You can find out what is an emergency repair by clicking HERE.   We will do our best to respond to emergencies within our usual service offer but are not able to guarantee this still because of the pressure on resources.

New routine repairs can still be reported through My Corner or by emailing customerservices@thch.org.uk -  these will be logged but an appointment will not be offered at this stage, as we work through the current backlog.

Gas servicing and other essential health and safety work is also continuing as it has done, throughout this period. All contractors are closely following COVID-19 working guidance and are wearing PPE when entering people's homes. Our priority is keeping our residents, staff and contractors safe during this period. Please remember that THCH has landlord obligations to deliver compliance related  checks and maintenance work and your cooperation in giving access is appreciated.

Due to the current situation in Europe, which is causing delays in the production and transportation of parts, our Door Entry and Lift works may take longer than we would hope. We are expecting these timeframes to return to normal in the coming weeks.

To continue to safeguard against the risks of Covid 19 we will only visit you at home if we cannot deal with your service request in any other way - for example we will need to visit your home to complete a repair, but we may be able to do property inspections via video calls.

When we do visit you at home please help us by doing the following:

- Make sure all internal doors are open so that we don’t need to touch door handles

- Open windows if possible, to increase ventilation in the areas where the repair or inspection needs to take place

- Make sure you keep a 1 or 2 metre distance from contractors or staff

- Ask other family members to move to another room if possible

Our staff will wear face coverings, sanitise their hands before they enter your home and contractors will wipe down any areas they’ve touched after they complete a repair. Please tell us if you or any member of your household has Covid 19 symptoms or is self-isolating when they arrive at your home and when you make an appointment with us.

We know that your finances might be affected by  the current situation. We are here to help you if you need us.

The Govt has increased the benefits and support available to people whose incomes are affected by the current situation. This includes help for the self employed and furlough support for people who are laid off by their employers. We urge you to claim any govt support that you’re entitled to - we can advise you on how to do this.

We need you to continue to pay your rent and service charge as normal as your rent helps fund essential frontline services.

If you are worried about paying your rent and service charge during this time or require support with your benefits please email or telephone us. We are here to support you and as well as our Income Team we have Tenancy Support Officers who will be able to offer you up to date advice. We’ve put together some helpful advice for you in this leaflet: FAQ’s for Rent and Service Charge payers 

We will continue to offer the regular cleaning service with an additional focus on  cleaning and sanitising touch points such as lifts, handrails, handles, bin areas etc.  Our resourcing has been impacted by the pandemic but our staff are doing their best to provide a good service.

We ask that you respect social distancing when you see our staff and contractors out on the estate.

Our other contractors including those that provide gardening, bulk rubbish removal, pest control etc are working as normal but have been impacted by a pressure on resources. They are doing their best to provide a good service.

We need your continued support

We need your continued support to keep communal areas clean and safe. You can help us by:

• Disposing of rubbish properly in bin stores
• If anyone in your house has COVID-19 symptoms then your waste should be double bagged and kept inside your flat for 72 hours before disposing into the communal bins
• Follow advice on effective hand washing (i.e. wash thoroughly for at least 20 seconds) before going into any communal areas and when you get back home
• Don’t leave items in communal areas
• Let us know if you see people dumping rubbish or fly-tipping

With the relaxation of Covid restrictions, THCH is now in a position to work towards the re-opening of our community centres and club rooms.

We will be opening in two phases: On 3 May all centres will open for non-sport sessions and on 17 May, indoor sports will be allowed to restart.  There will still be restrictions in place such as staged start/end times so groups do not mix as one session ends and another starts, enhanced cleaning, hand sanitizers in all venues and cleaning stations available for groups to use.

We will not be opening at weekends and there will not be any private hirers for the time being, but if things progress as planned and the Govt announce a further easing of restrictions, we hope that by mid-June our venues will return to their pre-Covid timetables and re-open at weekends.

For more information about our community centres and the activities that take place, please email communityengagement@thch.org.uk or call 020 7780 3070.

Following the completion of Health and Safety Risk Assesments, these Playgrounds are now open: Ada House, Farrell House, Hanbury street, Luke House, Frank Whipple, Cameron Best, Minerva play area, Sebright/Beechwood, Boden, Woodseer St, Martha St MUGA, Bigland St MUGA.

Thanks for your patience and please follow the guidance posters!

We understand that this will be a stressful situation for many of you and we want to make sure that we can continue to provide you with a service whilst prioritising your health and safety. We are contacting vulnerable and elderly residents to provide advice and support but also to check that they are coping alright.

The council also  have a phone line for vulnerable residents  where you can  discuss any concerns around:

• social isolation
• help needed with food supplies
• access to medication
• worries about debt.

The phone line is open: Monday to Friday (9am - 5pm) Tel: 020 7364 3030

If you need any extra help or if you know of an elderly or vulnerable neighbour who might please contact us.

If you or someone you know is at risk of or is suffering domestic abuse, many services are still running in Tower Hamlets .

Also the government’s household isolation guidance as a result of coronavirus does not apply if you need to leave your home to escape domestic abuse.

Remember, in an emergency always call 999. If you’re in danger and unable to talk on the phone, call 999 and then press 55. This will transfer your call to local police who will assist you without having to speak.

• Men’s Advice Line  – The Men’s Advice Line is a confidential helpline for male victims of domestic abuse and those supporting them.  Telephone: 0808 801 0327
• National Domestic Abuse Helpline – Refuge runs the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, which you can call for free, and in confidence, 24 hours a day on 0808 2000 247.

Keeping children safe
Families are under new pressures and will be spending much more time at home and children are not seeing other adults, like grandparents and teachers who might normally be able to help.

We can all play our part by checking in with families and reaching out for support and advice if we have any concerns.

The NSPCC website provides lots of useful guidance on how to spot the signs, ways to keep in touch and where to access help.

If a child is in immediate danger, call the police on 999 straight away.

If you are worried about a child, the Tower Hamlets Early Help service can provide support with parenting, money troubles, emotional health and much more, to help stop problems becoming more serious. You can make an online referral here.

As you might expect with more people at home you might hear more day to day noise such as children playing, voices, music etc, than you would ordinarily hear.

We ask that you are tolerant  during this period but also mindful of how you might impact neighbours who will likely to be at home more often too.

Its also important to stay connected with friends and family -  why not  chat  to  people virtually using apps like WhatsApp, Zoom , Skype, Houseparty  or simply give them a call.

Remember if you now invite friends or family over you must continue to follow the government guidance to reduce the risk of bringing the virus to your home.

Please continue to practice social distancing in line with the Government guidance between yourself and anyone outside of your household in communal areas. Remember:

• Do not gather at entrance doors to a block
• Do not gather in the corridors or communal areas
• If you have a lift in your block, only share it with members of your own family     

Respect our neighbours and make sure you keep a 2-metre distance

Being at home constantly can be a challenge . Here are some useful  links to information on how to stay well -  both mentally and physically-  at this time.

Here are some Top Tips:

• exercising at home - see easy low impact home workouts from the NHS
• spending time doing things you enjoy - this might be reading, cooking, listening to the radio and watching TV
• eating healthy and well-balanced meals, drinking enough water, exercising regularly, and trying to avoid smoking, alcohol and drugs
• opening your windows or going into the garden for fresh air and natural sunlight
• going for a walk outdoors - this is fine but remember to stay more than 2 metres from other people

The charity Mind has provided the following guidance:

• Practical advice for staying at home
• Taking care of your mental health and wellbeing
• Support for work, benefits and housing
• Checklist for staying at home

For further mental health support:

• Mental Health UK
• Samaritans

Find out more information about maintaining your physical health here:

• WHO Physical Health Guidance

The Metropolitan Police have received reports of coronavirus-related scams:

• NHS tests: Fraudsters claim to be doing coronavirus tests on behalf of the NHS. If anyone knocks on your door, ignore them and call the Police.
• Phishing emails: Fraudsters claim to be from research organisations linked to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). Don’t click on links or attachments in suspicious or unsolicited emails, and never respond to emails, calls or messages that ask for your personal or financial details.　
• Free school meals: Fraudulent emails ask for bank details to support those entitled to free school meals. Do not open these emails, and delete immediately. Find out more.
• Shopping for the elderly: Fraudsters claim to be from supermarkets, take money from elderly residents for shopping and then don’t return. Do not hand over money to anyone knocking on your door and call the Police.
• Online shopping: If you’re making a purchase from a company or person you don’t know and trust, carry out some research first and use a credit card if you have one. Find out more.

THCH has completed a comprehensive risk assessment and consulted with all colleagues through the staff consultative group as well as with the THCH Health and Safety Forum. A summary of this risk assessment can be found here:

Risk Assesment Summary

Alongside the risk assessment, we have worked hard to ensure that we have met the 4 other steps of the Government guidelines in our office. As set out here:

Staying Covid Secure Guidance Certificate

There is lots of useful information on the signs/symptoms of the virus aswell as on testing and vaccinations on the government website and NHS website.

Here are some useful links:

• Symptoms of coronavirus and how to avoid it on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
• Use the 111 online coronavirus service if you feel you need medical https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19
• Guidance on how the UK is affected by coronavirus (GOV.UK is updated daily and is the best source of reliable information! https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
•  Get rapid lateral flow tests here: https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests