Phased restart of work on NIHE homes

The Housing Executive (NIHE) began a phased resumption of some of its most vital maintenance work across across the province earlier this month and last Thursday, June 18, it restarted its external improvement programmes in local areas to ensure the outside of properties are maintained to a high standard and that neighbourhoods continue to be attractive places to live.

The work initially began on vacant void properties belonging to the social housing landlord, enabling them to be brought into use and made available to those families currently awaiting a new home; and on external response and heating maintenance works, focusing on important activities outside the property, along with some minor external adaptation works for the disabled such as fitting handrails or ramps to the exterior of a dwelling.

From June 18, major adaptations recommenced, where a property is vacant - this can include building extensions and major internal work to properties for tenants living with a disability who are waiting on this much needed work to be carried out.

Paul Isherwood, NIHE’s Director of Asset Management, 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 work-streams.

“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 PHA and government guidance at the time.

“Tenants will begin to see our staff and contractors back in their local areas and we would urge them not to approach them when they are engaged in their work.

“We would also ask for tenants to bear with us as we carry out this work, we have a programme of activity planned and we will cover each area as quickly as possible, given the current constraints.

“We have tasked our Health and Safety team to work with our contractors to ensure that risk assessments and safe systems of work are put in place, and that these are in strict accordance with current PHA and government advice,” he said.