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NIHE to resume some non-emergency maintenance
Northern Ireland’s housing authority is to start a phased return to carrying out non-emergency repairs and maintenance from Monday.
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), which owns around 84,000 homes across the region, has been completing only jobs with an associated risk to life or property since March.
Most social landlords across the UK took similar steps to help limit the spread of coronavirus.
But the NIHE will now resume external heating maintenance works and responsive repairs including fixing broken fences, as well as minor accessibility adaptations outside homes, such as handrails and ramps.
It will also restart work on empty void properties to prepare them for new tenancies.
From 18 June, the landlord’s external improvement programmes to maintain housing exteriors and neighbourhoods will begin again.
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Major works like extensions or significant internal adaptations for residents with accessibility needs are also set to recommence from that date.
Paul Isherwood, director of asset management at the NIHE, said: “Throughout COVID-19, the Housing Executive has continued to provide an emergency and essential repairs service as well as undertaking our statutory inspections and servicing programmes.
“We are now moving to a new phase of working and are implementing phased approaches as we move to reintroduce workstreams.
“We feel we can safely carry out this vital work to ensure our properties remain in good condition and that tenants continue to have a safe and comfortable living environment – all our activity will remain under constant review taking into account [Public Health Agency] and government guidance at the time.”
The NIHE’s health and safety team is working with contractors to carry out risk assessments and put safe working measures in place in line with government advice, he added.
All staff and contractors working on the ground will be given personal protective equipment.
NIHE tenants are being asking not to approach workers.
