Inside Housing survey: how housing professionals view the coronavirus response

The lockdown has had dramatic impacts on working life. Most respondents were happy with how their organisation communicated to them how these changes would affect their work and safety (see pie chart, below).

Eighty per cent said they had been able to carry out most or all of their usual duties. However, some said they have been moved to other work and others explained they should be moved but this has not happened.

This has not always been easy for staff. “I cannot visit vulnerable customers who need one-to-one visits,” one person responded. “Obviously our focus is on responding to the ever-changing landscape we find ourselves in, so my day is consumed with ensuring we deliver the best service possible to our tenants during the crisis,” explained another.

“All staff in a vulnerable group have been sent to work from home for 12 weeks, even if there is little they can do at home”

For a minority of responses, there is a sense of things going awry. One person said that gas engineers have refused to carry out safety inspections, meaning that only emergency repairs work is being carried out. Another housing professional said they had “shifted themselves” to different work because of a lack of decision-making.

Many housing professionals have been able to easily change their working patterns to work from home when possible – 78% said they are now working fully from home. Another 14% are working partly from home. Only two people said they thought they should be working from home but their employer would not let them. Four said their job simply couldn’t be done from home at all.

On 20 March, schools and nurseries closed “until further notice”. Only children of key workers and vulnerable children can attend. Suddenly, staff all over the UK have been contending with working from home – and looking after their children at the same time. Most staff will probably not be able to send their children to school or nursery, although at least one organisation has written a letter to head teachers identifying which roles count as ‘key workers’.

How employers have chosen to deal with this situation varies quite considerably in the sector, according to responses to the survey.

One person said: “They have told staff who have to look after their children that if they are unable to do so as well as working full time, they must take the leave as unpaid.”

Almost as difficult is the predicament of staff whose organisations have made no changes to account for the reality that so many staff are facing: “trying to work full time from home, and educate, and look after the children”. At least one respondent was placed in the awkward position of being asked to reduce their contracted hours, “which in my situation would leave me financially struggling”, they said.

The survey revealed that most landlords seem to be taking a more adaptable approach. Flexible working was the most common measure that respondents with children spoke of.

Inside Housing was particularly interested in staff who may fall into the group that must be “shielded” from the virus: people over 70, those with specific illnesses who are at an even greater risk of death if they catch coronavirus, and anyone who is pregnant. This is also concern for housing professionals who live with at-risk people.

There are some great examples of best practice in the survey response. One chief executive said: “All staff in a vulnerable group have been sent to work from home for 12 weeks, even if there is little they can do at home.” A number of respondents said their employer is offering full pay and help in adapting to home working.

Unfortunately, the reality seems to be that if you are working for one organisation, you could be fully supported, on full pay, but if you happen to work for another, you could face being annual leave or even unpaid leave.

“They don’t seem to know what to do,” one housing officer said. “My employer has hounded me for proof of an underlying medical condition,” said another respondent.

Kirsty Thompson, a partner at Devonshires, says that people who cannot work because they are shielding are not entitled to statutory sick pay and can only be furloughed if the position would otherwise be made redundant.

For those whose jobs involve contact with tenants or members of the public which must continue during the crisis, the survey showed that landlords have put in place a range of measures. Many – but certainly not everyone – said they had been provided at least with some form of basic personal protection equipment (PPE), such as gloves, hand sanitiser and masks.

“We have two members of staff who have agreed to go out to our tenants, in absolute emergencies only. All the correct equipment will be provided to these staff if they are required to go out”

Many describe limiting contact with people: shutting down offices, and switching from in-person meetings to phone calls, video calls or emails. One maintenance inspector explained they were now carrying out inspections via photos rather than in person.

A resident engagement officer – a job which involves contact with tenants – explained: “We have two members of staff who have agreed to go out to our tenants, in absolute emergencies only. All the correct equipment will be provided to these staff if they are required to go out.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given that even doctors and nurses have been complaining about the lack of PPE, many respondents who still must have contact with others feel at risk. Some reported “incorrect” PPE or landlords not following official social distancing guidelines.

“They haven’t provided me with PPE,” said one neighbourhood officer. “Because I work with clients who need temporary housing, I still have a lot of face-to-face contact. I’m aware and follow social distancing, but some tenants and members of the public ignore this and I often feel at risk.”

Another respondent, who was still doing site visits and inspections at the time of filling out the survey, said they were so worried about exposure that they were staying away from their family as a precaution, in case they were infected and passed on the virus.

Most – 90% – of respondents said their pay has not been affected by the crisis. At the time of the survey, only three respondents told us of a definite impact. However, this could be a matter of timing.

The government’s furloughing scheme has now begun.

It remains to be seen the extent to which organisations put staff on furlough, which is at a rate of 80% of pay up to a maximum of £2,500 – with the option for employers to top this up.

To see all our coronavirus coverage to date – including the latest news, advice to providers, comment and analysis – use the link below.

Visit our coronavirus page

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