Corona Virus - Information

The UK government has issued a third national "lockdown" for England from Monday 4 January.

 

The government guidance states that people must not leave or be outside of their home except for specific purposes. These include:​

• for work purposes, .... where you cannot work from home (including if your job involves working in other people’s homes)

• "Where it is necessary for you to work in other people’s homes - for example, for nannies, cleaners or tradespeople - you can do so. Otherwise, you should avoid meeting for work in a private home or garden, where COVID-19 Secure measures may not be in place."

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(Source: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home#when-you-can-leave-home )

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Details on this sector specific guidance for working in private houses are available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/homes

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Cleaner Availability

All colleagues can opt out of working during the lockdown period should they wish to do so where the virus is a concern. Self isolating with any symptoms either personally or as part of the household is mandatory.

 

Consequently:

We cannot guarantee the usual cleaners will attend a house during this time.

We may be able to provide only one cleaner rather than two.

We may need to reschedule at short notice in the event of any self isolation.

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Cleaner Guidelines

The cleaner guidelines for carrying out domestic cleaning are based on government guidelines and currently include:

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• All government guidelines which are currently in place should be followed.

• No work should be carried out by a cleaner who has coronavirus symptoms, however mild, or when someone in their own household has symptoms.

• Clients should be notified in advance of the visit (this would normally be the case in any scheduled visit).

• Cleaners should wash hands regularly, particularly after blowing their nose, sneezing or coughing, and when arriving at/leaving the property. Where facilities to wash hands are not available, hand sanitiser should be used.

• Cleaners should maintain a safe distance (at least 2 metres) from any household occupants (including colleagues who do not reside in the same household) at all times, and ensure good ventilation in the area where they are working, including opening the window.

• Gloves must be worn in the houses. Special care should be taken when removing/disposing of gloves to avoid any possible contamination of the hands.

• If they are not the only person in the house then they should wear a face covering. Again please take care when putting on and taking off face coverings.

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Customer Guidelines

In return, and to help ensure the health of the cleaners, we would please ask for the following guidelines to be observed:

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• Always cancel the visit if anyone in the house has the virus, symptoms or is self isolating.

• Please advise us if anyone in the house is in a vulnerable group.

• Please make handwashing facilities available where possible.

• Please enable good ventilation where possible.

• Please leave all internal doors open where possible to minimise contact with door handles.

• It would be ideal if the house could be unoccupied during the clean.  If this is not possible then we may still be able to work subject to social distancing measures outlined below.

• When people from the house are present during the cleaning, where it is possible to do so, please could they

  • also wear face coverings while in the same room as the cleaners. It is the advice that this may slightly reduce the risk of transmission to others.

  • also observe at least the current social distancing rules in place at the time (2m distance). 

  • remain on a separate floor level to the cleaners or in a closed room which is not being cleaned.

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Clearly each household may be impacted differently by the pandemic and we would welcome an understanding of your position with regards to continuation of cleaning services.

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