Urban Sleep FAQs for Students
Update 28/09/20
The following measures were introduced on Tuesday 22nd September 2020 for Merseyside:
residents must not socialise with other people outside of their own households or support bubble in private homes and gardens
hospitality for food and drink will be restricted to table service only
late night restriction of operating hours has been introduced, with leisure and entertainment venues required to close between 10pm to 5am
These changes are in addition to the nationwide six-person limit on social gatherings.
As a result of this, we will not be allowing visitors into the buildings unless they are providing medical assistance or essential services. Our staff may ask you to show your ID and keys upon entering the building and will refuse any visitors at the door.
We also ask that you do not socialise in your apartments and communal areas with tenants from other apartments in the building.
Finally, we would like to remind everyone that it is extremely important that you regularly sanitise and wash your hands, wear a face covering unless you are exempt and maintain social distance of 1m+ when you are around people who do not live in your household.
We will continue with our increased cleaning regimes and we will monitor the situation as it evolves.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Kind regards,
Urban Sleep Team
WELCOME MESSAGE & FAQs 2020
We hope you will enjoy your stay with us and we will be here to support you every step of the way. We have received several questions from students and their families with regards to how student life will work in 2020/2021 and we have put together this section to ensure that we answer these questions.
As you know, the situation with COVID-19 has been changing over the last few months so it is very likely that the information on this page will also be updated periodically to be in line with the Government guidelines & law updates so please check this regularly for updates and keep yourself updated with the latest information on the Government COVID-19 website.
What have Urban Sleep done to keep me and the people around me safe during COVID-19?
Over the last few months we have reviewed all of our processes and procedures and have given our staff extensive training to ensure that all of our tenants feel safe and comfortable.
Around the properties we have installed signage, Perspex barriers and hand sanitising stations and we will be applying one way traffic systems during our busy check-in days.
We have also increased the frequency of cleaning of the public communal areas and especially the high touch points such as door handles, lift buttons and handrails.
We have also supplied our staff with PPE and ensured that they have access to an increased number of hand sanitising stations around all of our offices.
What can I do to stay safe and keep the people around me safe?
According to the Government’s advice, there are three simple actions we must all do to keep on protecting each other:
Wash hands - keep washing your hands regularly
Cover face - wear a face covering in enclosed spaces
Make space - stay at least 2 metres apart - or 1 metre with a face covering or other precautions
In addition, you must regularly check to see how the guidance is changing to know what you can and cannot do.
Can I still socialise and have visitors over?
According to the current guidelines, you cannot socialise with people who live outside of your household in your home or garden. Therefore, you cannot have visitors in the property.
Can I have overnight visitors?
According to the current guidelines, you cannot socialise with people who live outside of your household. Therefore, you cannot have visitors.
How many people am I allowed to meet with outdoors?
From 14 September, there will be a new legal gatherings limit. When meeting with people you don’t live with you can socialise in groups of up to 6. You should continue to maintain social distancing with anyone you do not live with. There is further guidance on meeting with others safely, which includes details of exemptions from this limit, including for larger households and support bubbles.
Can I use public transport?
You can help control coronavirus and travel safely by walking and cycling, if you can. However where this is not possible, you can use public transport or drive. If you do use public transport, you must wear a face covering and you should follow the safer travel guidance for passengers.
Do I need to wear a mask/face covering in the property?
To help keep you and those around you safe, we respectfully ask that you follow the law and wear a face covering when you are in public communal areas of the property such as lifts, corridors, laundry rooms, lobbies etc. unless you are unable to do so due to a medical issue.
You do not need to wear masks anywhere in your apartment.
Please be mindful that some people may not be able to wear a mask due to a physical health or mental health reason or due to helping a person who requires lip reading or similar support.
Please remember that not all disabilities and medical conditions are visible and be respectful to all of our tenants, colleagues and visitors.
You should also wear a face covering in indoor places not listed here where social distancing may be difficult and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
Can I receive post and parcels at the property?
We will accept all deliveries from couriers and will put post in your letterbox located in the lobby. Any larger items will be logged onto the online system and you will be able to collect them the same day from the reception.
If you do not collect your package by the end of the day, our team will attempt to deliver this to your apartment at the end of the working day. All of our colleagues have been trained to maintain social distancing and follow the health & hygiene guidelines.
What is the best way to report any issues?
The best way to report issues is to log them on the online portal. If you have a general query, you can contact us on info@urbansleep.co.uk or via 0151 708 7000 option 1.
If you are reporting an emergency or need to speak to us out of hours, please call 0151 708 7000 and select option 4.
For any internet related issues you can use the online chat function on the log in screen or call 0151 708 7000 and select option 5.
We will still have staff at the property every day and they will be able to help you when needed, but we would like to keep face to face contact to a minimum where possible in order to keep everyone safe.
Is there a curfew to come back to the accommodation?
There is no curfew to return to the accommodation but this may change depending on Government guidelines.
Do I need to self-isolate when I arrive at the accommodation from another part of the UK?
If within the last 14 days you haven’t been outside the UK and you and your previous household have not experienced symptoms of COVID-19 and have not been tested positive for COVID-19 or told by the NHS Test & Trace to self-isolate, you do not need to self-isolate when you arrive at the accommodation.
If you need to self-isolate, please do not travel to the accommodation until you have completed your self-isolation period.
When you arrive, you and your flatmates will form a new household and will be considered a social bubble.
Do I need to self-isolate if I have been outside the UK within the last 14 days?
Currently, you must self-isolate for 14 days if you come from any country that is NOT on the list of the exempt countries. The list changes periodically and can be found here.
Currently, all travellers coming to the UK from China need to self-isolate for 14 days.
Currently, all travellers from Hong Kong are exempt from self-isolation and do not need to self-isolate upon arrivals unless they have made a transit stop in one of the countries that are NOT on the exempt list.
If you arrive in the UK from a country with a high coronavirus risk – see GOV.UK: how to self-isolate when you travel to the UK.
You will need to self-isolate if you visited or made a transit stop in a country or territory that is not on the travel corridor list in the 14 days before you arrive in England.
How do I self-isolate?
You should self-isolate in one place for the full 14 days, where you can have food and other necessities delivered, and should stay away from others unless you travelled to the UK with them. You must self-isolate at the address you provided on the public health passenger locator form.
Please put a notice on your bedroom door and the apartment front door to inform others that you are self-isolating.
When you arrive to your accommodation, you must stay away from others who didn’t travel with you, so it’s important that you don’t use shared areas. Stay 2 metres apart from other people staying there at all times.
It’s important to avoid as much contact with other people as possible in your home in order to reduce the risk of transmitting coronavirus. You should stay in a well-ventilated room with a window to the outside that can be opened, separate from other people in your home.
You should not have visitors, including friends and family, unless they are providing:
emergency assistance
care or assistance, including personal care
medical assistance
certain critical public services
What you are not allowed to do:
You cannot go out to university or visit public areas.
You should not go shopping.
You should not go out for a walk or exercise.
You should not leave your apartment to go to the reception or any other areas of the building unless there is an emergency such as a fire.
If you require help buying groceries, other shopping or picking up medication, you should ask friends or relatives or order a delivery. You can also ask our Urban Sleep staff to help you arrange deliveries or deliver your orders to the door.
NHS Volunteer Responders are also available if you need help collecting shopping, medication or would like a telephone ‘check-in and chat’. Call 0808 196 3646 (8am to 8pm) to arrange volunteer support. You can arrange one-off support, or schedule more regular help whilst you are self-isolating.
Should people I am staying with self-isolate if I’ve been abroad in a non-exempt country within the last 14 days?
The people you’re staying with do not need to self-isolate, unless they travelled with you or you develop symptoms of coronavirus.
When can I stop self-isolating?
If you do not have any coronavirus symptoms after 14 days, you can stop self-isolating. You will then need to follow the same rules as people who live in the UK. Check the rules for the part of the UK you’re staying in: England
What to do if I get coronavirus symptoms?
You should look for any of the following symptoms in the 14 days after the day you arrive in the UK:
new continuous cough
high temperature
loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
If you have any of these symptoms, you should continue to self-isolate at home. If you are staying with others and you develop symptoms, the whole household that you are staying with will need to begin self-isolating.
You should apply for a free test if you have the symptoms of coronavirus. You can apply for a free test via the University testing centre. You must book this in advance prior to going to get tested. The test will be open 9am – 5pm 7 days per week and you will receive the result within 24h.
Try to make a list of everyone you have been in close contact with in the 48 hours before your symptoms started.
You will find the COVID Test Centre opposite building 502 next to the Peach Street car park, see grid E6 on the Campus Map
What happens if my test comes back positive for COVID-19?
If your test for coronavirus is positive you will be asked to share your contacts with the NHS test and trace service, and your contact detail declaration may be used to alert people who travelled to the UK alongside you.
If you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home, or your condition gets worse, or your symptoms do not get better after 10 days, then use the NHS 111 online coronavirus (COVID-19) service. If you do not have internet access, call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999.