How should we prepare for COVID-19, and what should we do if someone develops symptoms?
Every HomeRoom household should prepare for COVID-19 and handle the situation as advised by the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/faq.html
It is import for you to focus on hand washing and disinfecting frequently used surfaces. Washing dishes immediately after use is also very important at this time.
I’m worried about candidates touring our home during this health crisis – is that process changing?
1) Yes—effective immediately, we have shifted to virtual tours and video meetings for all roommate screenings. Here is our new process: www.livehomeroom.com/our-tenant-process
2) For candidates who have been approved by HomeRoom and the roommates (and signed a lease), brief tours may be allowed if conducted in compliance with our roommate safety protocol procedures—those can be found here: www.livehomeroom.com/tours-and-covid19
Will maid service continue?
Yes! Maid service will continue for now, but if you would prefer to put it on hold please let us know.
How does COVID-19 affect maintenance requests?
Emergencies will be addressed as soon as possible, but any request that is non-essential may be pushed to a later date based on service professional availability. Fewer service professionals are working during this time, so we’ll handle these requests on a case-by-case basis.
What if I’m worried about a service professional in my home?
We encourage you to follow all recommended social distancing guidelines (maintain at least 6’ distance, or even better, go take a walk) while a service professional is in your home. The service professional may be wearing gloves, a mask, or something similar to protect themselves from contracting COVID-19. Please do not be alarmed as we are recommending this to them.
Do you have any resources to think through my finances during this economic crisis?
Mint has a blog post with excellent resources for people who are dealing with financial problems during the pandemic: https://blog.mint.com/updates/what-to-know-about-coronavirus-covid-19-and-your-finances/
If you don’t use Mint to track your finances on an ongoing basis, we highly recommend it.
Is my rent payment affected by COVID-19?
1) We know this is a hard time and we’re working as hard as we can to do everything possible for our communities—most of all, we want you to stay healthy.
2) At the same time, we expect rent to be paid on time by our tenants.
3) If you’ve tried everything and can’t pay, we’ll do our best to work with you. However, we will need you to prove it by sending us the documentation outlined here: https://livehomeroom.com/covid-19-faq
4) Our options are limited as to what we can do in this situation—we are a young business with limited cash reserves. We lease the homes that you live in, and our landlords expect their rent to be paid on time as well. Thank you for your support during this challenging time.
How should we change our behavior during this Pandemic?
1) Please have the highest standards for hygiene and cleanliness: This is the time to really take HomeRoom’s “zero dishes in the sink” policy seriously, and to use the ‘sanitize’ setting on the dishwasher. Wipe down surfaces and wash your hands regularly.
2) Please communicate openly with your roommates and with HomeRoom: If you haven’t had a house meeting in a while, now is a great time. This includes communicating about who you have been in contact with and where you may have recently traveled to in order to protect the other roommates in the house. If you begin to experience any COVID-19 symptoms, you owe it to your roommates and to HomeRoom to disclose this so that necessary precautions can be taken.
3) Please stay positive and have a long-term outlook: This is the #1 reason why we are building supportive communities of like-minded individuals that are willing to help each other out in challenging times; that’s the way our homes become safer, better and more resilient. As we stand together against the coronavirus, it’s going to give all of us the opportunity to reflect on what is really important. Nothing lasts forever, and we’d like to believe that there will be a positive outcome when we pull through this together.