Our Response to Covid-19
As the global COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic continues to evolve, we are closely monitoring advice from the Australian and NSW Governments on how to best minimise risks.
The Women’s Housing Company is a provider of essential services and continues to operate throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
What We Are Doing
Following the NSW Government’s latest COVID-19 health advice, we have temporarily closed our offices to protect tenants, contractors and staff.
Home visits, face-to-face tenant engagement activities and property inspections (including pest inspections, preventative plumbing, gutter cleaning and smoke alarm testing) and are also suspended.
You can still contact us by phone or email, as normal.
We continue to monitor the situation and will resume face-to-face activities as soon as it is safe to do so.
Staying Connected
Our business hours remain 9.00am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. You can contact us as follows:
- General inquiries - by phone on 9281 1764 or 1300 942 111 (if outside Sydney), by email on contact@womenshousingcompany.org or by post
- For repairs - by phone on 8202 9313 or email on repairs@womenshousingcompany.org
- For after-hours emergency repairs - by phone on 1300 556 057
- Homelessness Support Services inquiries - by phone on 9602 9160 or by email on info@whss.org.au
Paying Your Rent
The Women’s Housing Company relies on rental payments to maintain homes and deliver services to women in need. This means it is as important as ever that you continue to pay your rent.
Any tenant that has difficulty paying rent should contact their Tenancy Manager as soon as possible. We will work with you to discuss a range of options that can help sustain your tenancy and avoid debt.
If you currently pay rent by visiting a bank branch and wish to reduce the need to leave your home, we encourage you to set up Internet Banking or CentrePay (a bill paying service which is free for Centrelink recipients). Contact your Tenancy Manager to discuss these options.
For more information on how we support tenants if your income changes, please see our Rent Policy:
www.womenshousingcompany.org.au/uploads/tenants/housing-services/Rent-Policy---Feb-2018-014501.pdf
Property Repairs And Maintenance
Please continue to report any property repairs or maintenance issues by phone or email. Only emergency and urgent property repairs (where there is an immediate risk to health and safety) will continue to be completed while the NSW Health Orders remain in place. All other repairs and maintenance will be logged and prioritised.
If we are completing any urgent repairs in your home, staff and contractors will call before visiting to ask a few questions about your current health and recent overseas travel. If a member of your household is feeling unwell or is at increased risk, we may reschedule the repair.
Common area cleaning will also continue, to maintain health and safety. Common area gardening will be suspended.
We are taking extra precautions to keep our staff and tenants safe and have introduced additional cleaning regimes at our residential accommodation service.
Specialist Homelessness Services
The Women’s Housing Company Specialist Homelessness Service and crisis accommodation in South Western Sydney have additional screening and hygiene protocols in place. We will monitor advice from the Australian and NSW Governments on the COVID-19 situation with regards to any changes to service delivery.
What You Should Do
If you or any member of your household is directed to self-isolate or is diagnosed with COVID-19, please notify us immediately. We have some responsibilities to notify Government and take precautions with service delivery. For example, we will make a note in our system to ensure we only visit for emergency or safety property repairs.
Further Information
For the most up-to-date and detailed information visit www.health.nsw.gov.au or call healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
NSW Department of Communities and Justice COVID-19 response and housing services
www.coronavirus.dcj.nsw.gov.au
Australian Government advice on Centrelink payments and services available to people affected by COVID-19
www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/subjects/affected-coronavirus-covid-19
COVID-19 information in community languages
www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/coronavirus-explained-in-your-language
Multicultural NSW YouTube Channel
Australian Government information and referrals for people with disability and their supporters about COVID-19
www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers/information-and-referrals-for-people-with-disability-and-their-supporters-about-coronavirus-covid-19
Please see below for Frequently Asked Questions or contact us if you have any concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 and Women’s Housing Company Services
Q: How does this affect me?
A: We are operating business as usual, but without face-to-face contact. This means you can contact us over the phone and by email during business hours, or by post.
Q: Who should I contact if I need a repair?
A: Please continue to contact us on 8202 9313 or repairs@womenshousingcompany.org during business hours, or 1300 556 057 for after-hours emergency repairs.
Q: Will my repairs get fixed?
A: We will complete emergency and urgent repairs (where there is an immediate risk to health and safety). All other repairs and maintenance will be logged and prioritised.
Q: Will the cleaners and gardeners still come?
A: Common area cleaning will continue to maintain health and safety. Common area gardening has been suspended.
Q: Can I come to the Surry Hills or Liverpool office?
A: No, you cannot come to our offices. We will advise as soon as it is safe to do so.
Q: How should I contact the Homelessness Support Service?
A: Please continue to contact us on 9602 9160 or info@whss.org.au
Q: Will the crisis accommodation continue to operate?
A: Yes. We will monitor advice from the Australian and NSW Governments on the COVID-19 situation and communicate any changes to service delivery.
Q: What can I do to stop the spread of the virus?
A: Current advice from NSW Health is:
- Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly
- Practice social distancing (keep at least 1.5m away from people and only make essential journeys)
- Sneeze into your elbow or a tissue, disposing of the tissue straight away and washing your hands
- Stay at home
Q: Do you have information in my language?
A: You can find information translated into many languages on the Australian Government’s Department of Health site:
Multicultural NSW YouTube Channel