As restrictions are lifted across the UK, DIO and their industry partners (eg Amey) will continue to maintain COVID-19 safe working practices when working in SFA/SSFA. Contractors will:
For more guidance on COVID-19 safe working practices in SFA/SSFA refer to the guidance on gov.uk
Back to topThe new head of DIO, Air Commodore James Savage, has written to families living in SFA to update them on how DIO and Amey will be continuing (with some changes) to help maintain all SFA during the new national lockdown.
However, they are also asking for your help to reduce the pressure should COVID-19 cases affect the workforce. Families are being asked to consider delaying non-urgent requests for work until lockdown is eased. For the full message, see below.
If you have any issues or concerns, please contact the AFF housing team on housingsupport@aff.org.uk
As you know, the Prime Minister has this week raised the Covid-19 threat level to the highest possible and introduced new lockdown restrictions. Their aim is to control infection rates to protect the NHS and save lives.
I know this will be an anxious time for you and your family members. However, in light of the revised Government guidance, I want to remind you of the actions we are taking to continue to support you during this time and to ensure your safety and that of our staff and supply chain partners.
Our focus will remain on providing the full range of accommodation services. However, given that the new Covid-19 variant is rapidly pushing up infection rates, it is possible that, over time, our ability to deliver those services may be affected; and in all cases we will need to follow the legal requirements of the UK Government and devolved administrations as appropriate to your location.
We will continue to monitor the situation across the UK regularly and keep you updated through your Chain of Command and the Families Federations. However, it may well be we have to make some hard decisions about the services we can continue to provide. Given the differing guidance in place for England and the Devolved Administrations, and the unpredictability of the spread of the virus, our response is likely to vary from region to region but works to ensure the safety and habitability of properties will always remain a priority.
To help mitigate such potential impact as much as possible and to ease pressure on the helpdesk and operational staff, I would ask you to consider delaying any non-urgent requests for work until the current arrangements are relaxed by Government. In doing so, you would help to ensure that families with urgent needs can be supported as quickly as possible. However, should you feel you need to contact either Amey or Mears’ helpdesks on a non-urgent matter/repair, then please use emails or webforms. Advice on contacting Amey can be found here, and Mears can be contacted via 0800 032 4547 or by emailing repair.enquiry@mearsgroup.co.uk. I appreciate there were some problems and delays in contacting Amey just prior to and over the Christmas period and understand how frustrating this must have been for some families. However, their IT issues have now been resolved, and the Helpdesk has returned to full operating capability.
In the meantime, the following procedures will apply to protect your well-being and that of our staff and supply chain partners, and to ensure we all play our part in preventing the further spread of the virus:
More details can be viewed on the Amey and Mears websites.
We are in the process of reviewing our previous guidance to ensure it reflects the new circumstances. Please do keep checking Gov.uk as all the latest SFA guidance is there, and we will be updating those pages as appropriate.
I am grateful for your support and understanding as we navigate through this difficult period. Again, I understand this is a very difficult time for Service personnel and their families and I wish to assure you that the safety of you and our staff is our priority.
Air Commodore James Savage
Head of DIO Accommodation
In line with the latest Government guidance, there have been a couple of changes to Notices to Vacate (NTV) for Service personnel and families who have lost their entitlement to SFA, either due to leaving Service or separation.
From 1 June 2021, NTVs are now being issued with a four-month period of notice. This has reduced from the six-month period that had been in place but is still a month more than the normal NTV of 93 days.
In addition, with effect from 1 June 2021, evictions can now take place. These will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account any specific circumstances and subject to the issue of an Order for Possession through the court system.
Since Government guidance on pausing eviction action was issued in March 2020 due to COVID-19, it is likely a backlog of cases has built up within the court system. Therefore, no timescales can currently be given for Order for Possession or eviction action to take place.
DIO will provide all occupants who have lost their entitlement to occupy SFA with details of how they can find support and source alternative accommodation.
If you have any concerns or enquiries, contact the DIO Loss of Entitlement Team.
Back to topCOVID-19 guidance notes for the MOD housing community, January 2021
Further to the Prime Minister introducing new lockdown restrictions, DIO Accommodation has updated COVID-19 guidance for both Service Family Accommodation and Substitute Service Family Accommodation. These guidance notes can be found on gov.uk.
Back to topDespite the current COVID-19 restrictions, DIO and Amey are focussed on providing the full range of accommodation services, while ensuring the safety of Service families and their own staff.
As an Army family you can play your part if you need Amey to visit your SFA – when you contact the Amey call centre regarding repairs or maintenance to your SFA, you must inform staff if anyone in your household is self-isolating or has COVID-19 symptoms.
In addition, Amey staff will follow Government guidelines Working safely during COVID-19 in other people’s homes and protect families’ health and safety by:
Further details on how Amey will carry out repairs, maintenance and mandatory checks in your home, fully in line with Government and devolved administration advice, can be viewed in this video animation.
Back to topIf you are a landlord looking to ask your tenants to leave during the current pandemic, please be aware that the government has recently changed the notice period from six to four months for most tenants. Remember to factor this into your calculations if you intend to move back in on a specific date.
For more details, click here.
Back to topIf you are returning to the UK from a country that is not currently on the Government’s up to date list of Coronavirus (COVID-19): travel corridors and moving into SFA then you must appoint a proxy to undertake the move-in appointment on your behalf whilst you are in the quarantine period.
Back to topAFF is aware that there have been some issues with families arriving at hotels booked through GBT as part of a house move, only to find that they are closed.
Therefore, if you are due to stay in a hotel, please ensure that you make contact with your hotel before travelling as hotels may be required to close their doors temporarily at short notice due to the continued impact of COVID-19. The hotel telephone number will be contained in your confirmation.
Should you experience any problems, please contact the GBT team 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0203 668 2210.
Back to topCarrying out statutory and mandatory checks is a legal requirement for landlords, including DIO. These checks are essential to maintain a safe and compliant SFA estate.
DIO understands the concerns of Service families, especially those who are self-isolating and/or shielding, in allowing access to their homes so these checks can be carried out.
However, the number of overdue checks has risen significantly, which presents a danger to affected occupants and their neighbours. Guidance on how safety checks will be carried out, in line with Government and devolved administration advice has been issued. This has been reinforced by a video (see below) to reassure families that the safety of occupants and Amey operatives is a priority when checks are carried out to keep their homes, and those of their neighbours, safe.
AFF would like to encourage all families to allow Amey operatives access to their properties to allow these vital safety checks to be carried out. If the issue is not resolved, more robust measures may be considered to gain access to properties.
Back to topNormal removals policy is that the MOD pays for a full pack and unpack service for families – there is no requirement for families to pack anything prior to the removals team arriving and therefore there is no contractual obligation for packing boxes to be delivered to you before the day.
Should you have an exceptional need to pack earlier (for example, to help children with additional needs), you need to discuss this with the removals company and, in these situations, boxes will be provided
Historically some companies have, as a goodwill gesture and at their own expense, dropped off boxes if they have been in the area and may well still be able to do this if requested, however, it is not a requirement for them to do so.
COVID-19 has presented some complications to the moving process and as a result (as of 24 June 2020) the removals team is not able to touch some high risk of infection items, i.e. unwashed clothes, and it is requested that these items are placed in plastic bags on the day of the move so that they can be safely placed in boxes by the removal team. This is basically the used bed linen and towels from the night before and any unwashed clothes so it shouldn’t be more than a maximum of two large plastic bags (bin bags would be ideal).
The removal team will provide cartons and wardrobe boxes on the day of the move and it is requested that the family member remaining in the house places all clothes in these during the packing process.
AFF understands that many families want to get ahead of the game by packing items themselves but would ask for understanding of the contract and of the pandemic situation. With many moves taking place over the next few months there will always be new families on the patch who have boxes they can pass on to you so if you need boxes do try this approach first.
See the Agility website for the most up-to-date information and guidance on packing – scroll down and click on Agility – Covid19 Operating ConditionsV3.2FINAL – 240520.pdf
Back to topAmey Occupancy Services staff continue to work remotely and can be contacted by email. However, phone calls are now being diverted from the call centre to staff at home.
For applications and moves related to new, routine assignments and where you can access the e-1132, you can view the status of your application and book move-in/move-out appointments online and should book removals via the usual process via the Agility website. Please avoid contacting Occupancy Services by telephone unless your issue is urgent and continue to use email so that their day-to-day work can continue.
Back to topThe Joint Service Housing Advice Office (JSHAO) is currently unable to receive paper applications for the MOD Referral Scheme. Please send any applications to RC-Pers-JSHAO-0Mailbox@mod.gov.uk
Further information on the scheme can be found here
Due to new working patterns as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, the JSHAO landline contact numbers (Civ: 01252 787574 and Mil: 94222 7574) can no longer be staffed. If you do need to get in touch please use the mobile number 07814 612120.
Back to topPlease see our allowances page for more information.
Back to topPlease see the Gov.uk website for all information.
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