COVID-19 Sample Letter – What to say to your tenants
To the tenants of properties managed by xxxx,
We value our relationships with our tenants and wanted to reach out to you in these difficult and uncertain times. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the measures being taken to reduce transmission of the virus, will mean adjustments and challenges for all of us. We want to assure you the health and safety of our tenants and employees are our top priorities. We also want you to know that we will be working with you to ensure your housing is secure, despite the challenges ahead.
We have asked our maintenance staff to take extra steps to sanitize high-touch surfaces, including door handles, railings etc. in common areas. As a safety precaution, we are reviewing the delivery of in-suite maintenance and repairs to occupied units, to reduce risk to you and to our staff and contractors. We will prioritize urgent repair requests but defer non-urgent in-suite repairs and maintenance, to reduce exposure.
We know some of you may be experiencing financial challenges, due to the impacts of COVID-19 on the economy and local businesses. We are exploring options for financial assistance. The federal government announced a number of measures today that may be of help, including an emergency care benefit for people who are self-employed, deferral of income tax owing until August 2020, and expanded criteria for employment insurance eligibility. The provincial government may have support available via its income assistance programs. There may also be support available via the B.C. Rent Bank. The City of New Westminster and City of Vancouver also have a Rent Bank to support those who are having difficulty making rent payments on time. We will be monitoring these developments in days to come and hope to see expanded supports made available for those who require assistance.
If you are experiencing COVID-19-related financial challenges that will affect your ability to pay your rent on time, please contact (Name) at (number or email) to discuss available options. It is our intention to work with our tenants to get us all through this challenging time.
We wish you and your families well. In the words of provincial medical health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, “Be kind, be calm, be safe.”
Sincerely,
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