COVID-19 - How HQM is managing this crisis?

 We are in day 6 the 21-day lockdown period in effect in South Africa.

Last week we rushed to visit all our management client properties and "set up" the property for the lockdown to minimise any potential issues which could arise. We turned off the water, turned off pool pumps, geysers etc.

All HQM administration staff and property managers were set up to be fully operational and connected to our cloud-based systems from home. HQM Property managers are still available by email, or otherwise cell phones.
 
Only gazetted essential services are authorised to continue over the lockdown period; HQM Properties is not one of them.

The understanding is that security, cleaning and refuse removal, together with emergency City of Cape Town maintenance services are proving to be operational. Importantly for our clients ADT and other armed response companies continue to be operational and we continue to be on call to receive any alarm activations.

Public transport has been limited to certain times of the day and ONLY for essential services staff. This may well cause delays and disrupt service delivery standards to some extent. Please report any concerns to us and we will investigate and resolve to the best of our abilities.

Importantly most all of our trusted plumbers and electricians have managed to register themselves as critical services and are able to assist us in any emergencies that arise.  This will only be for EMERGENCY work though. 
 
It is very important for everyone in South Africa and the world to work together to achieve the lockdown objectives to slow down the transmission of COVID-19 and “flatten the curve” to enable medical facilities to cope with the expected patient care. Diligent hygiene habits (washing hands for 20 seconds with 70% alcohol- based hand sanitiser), social distancing, remaining home as far as possible and staying calm throughout, are all very important. A very useful data free web site has been launched by government with the latest news and advice concerning the Covid-19 pandemic: www.coronavirus.datafree.co
 
We wish all our clients, tenants and their families to be healthy and safe in this trying time. Please feel free to contact us if you need anything. 
  
Kind Regards,
 
Grant and the HQM Team.