How we are keeping everyone safe: Covid 19

Actions we have taken and our responsibilities

Both ourselves and our cleaners have completed the Covid 19 - Holiday Let Cleaning Course, Taught by Landlords Little Helper and recommended by the Scottish Association of Self Caterers (ASSC).

We have studied the ASSCs Cleaning protocols which have been approved by the Scottish Government and we have joined Sawday’s Clean and Safe Charter.

We have completed risk assessments of each cottage. During this process we identify risks and try to mitigate them. If we think that the risk cannot be mitigated we may have had to remove the risk in question for now.

We have replaced the guide books with online information on our website, what’s on, local eateries, takeaways, good hill-walks etc that you can access on your own devices:

Eating, drinking & local larders

Best Edinburgh Independent shopping & attractions

Hill walks from your Eastside doorstep

All cutlery and glassware that you would put to your mouth must be put through the dishwasher on every change over (regardless of whether it has been left clean by previous guests or not).

We are changing all bedding at every changeover to allow for sufficient cleaning of pillows, duvets and mattress protectors between guests.

We are fogging all of the soft furnishings between guests.

We are disinfecting with a virucidal spray before and after a deep-clean on all high touch points and surfaces. We are using Envirosafe SF (food safe) EN14476 for kitchens and Envirosafe Multi Surface EN14476 for the rest of the cottage.

The Woodshed hot tub will be cleaned and disinfected including all high touch points.

The Eastside sauna yurt will be cleaned and disinfected between each session.

For now we will no longer be offering home-made scones, jam, butter & milk. We will however provide tea, coffee, milk, and borders biscuits.

We will operate a self check-in with phone numbers for any problems you may encounter during your stay. We will endeavour to say hello from a distance.

If any of our staff are feeling at all unwell they will self isolate immediately.

Your responsibilities

Update 13th July : A new normal

We are now going forward as a new normal. As before in Scotland some protective measures have stayed in place, the government still advises the use of face coverings in indoor public places and on public transport.

International guests: No COVID-19 travel rules apply for entering Scotland.

If you’re visiting Scotland from another country, you should check your own government’s advice about travelling home after visiting Scotland.

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N.B. We no longer offer postponements for those cancelling due to Covid-19. Our normal cancellation policy will instead apply. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.

The only circumstance in which we are able to offer a postponement is in the case that a Government policy actively prevents travel between the address of the booked guest and Eastside.

We therefore strongly advise guests to ensure they have current travel insurance which specifically covers Covid related cancellations.

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We ask guests to self check-in. The keys will be left in key safes outside the cottage doors. Access will not be granted before 16.00.

We provide guests with a handy-hints guide. We are more than happy to help if asked but will try to avoid entering the cottage unless for an emergency.

We ask that guests bag their own rubbish - including unused food they don’t wish to take home. Please put it in the bins outside.

Guests are given bags and kindly asked to strip their own beds. Please put used bed linen, towels, and kitchen linen in bags for us.

Guests are asked to open windows on departure to change the air.

Guests will be provided with an anti-viral spray for use at their discretion.

All usual government guidance in in relation to Covid 19 applies - including the advice to wash hands regularly and thoroughly. We provide hand wash and moisturiser in all the cottages.

Please note that we do not provide hand sanitiser, gloves, or masks. We ask that guests bring these at their discretion and are aware that they may be required when venturing out to other establishments. The Scottish Government advises that a mask should be worn in public indoor spaces.

Our cleaning protocols

Firstly we would like to explain that we do not think that every one of our guest has the virus but for the sake of our risk assessment and cleaning protocols we have to make that assumption.

We are asking guests to leave promptly at 10.00

• having bagged and binned all rubbish
• having stripped the beds and put all bed linen, towels and kitchen linen in the bags provided.
• having opened all of the windows

We will enter the cottages to remove the bagged rubbish and linen. We will also bag and remove all pillows, duvets and mattress protectors for cleaning.

We will then pre-clean disinfect the mattress, sofas, kitchen surfaces and bathrooms with Envirosafe SF (food safe) EN14476 for kitchens and Envirosafe Multi Surface EN14476.

We will load the dish washers with all cutlery and glassware that you would put to your mouth and put on 70 degree cycle.

Our cleaning team will arrive and clean to their usual extremely high standard. All soft furnishings will be fogged. All light switches and plug sockets cleaned.

Once the cottage is clean the new pillows, duvets and mattress protectors and linen are brought into the cottages and put on the beds.

We will then quality control and do an after-clean disinfectant spay. Covering all high touch areas and surfaces identified as a risk in our cottage risk assessments. All light switches, door handles, remote controls, toaster & kettle switches, window openers, handrails will be disinfected as well as all surfaces including the floor, furniture, carpets & curtains.

All cleaning and disinfecting is done working back to the door from the furthest point in the cottage to avoid cross contamination. In food preparation areas we are using a food safe disinfectant, Envirosafe SF EN14476. We are not using disinfectant on bedding due to potential allergies and are instead laundering at 60 degrees.

Lastly we will disinfect all high touch outdoor surfaces, BBQs, seating, gate latches, door handles & the hot tub.

Laundry

All linen will be washed at 60 degrees. To keep ourselves safe, the bagged linen will be left in a storage area for 72 hours before we unpack and start washing.

Timings

Due to the intensity of each clean we can no longer be as flexible in offering early check ins or late check outs. Please check out promptly at 10am and arrive no earlier than 4pm. Thank you

Adapting

As the Scottish Government advice adapts we too shall adapt and change. We hope to reintroduce home-baking & jigsaws soon! In the meantime please know that we are doing everything we can to keep everyone safe.

What happens if I develop symptoms while staying at Eastside?

If you develop symptoms you should immediately inform us by phone call or email.

info@eastsidecottages.co.uk
01968 677 842

Scottish Government guidance states that:

In the event that a guest develops symptoms whilst staying away from home, they should immediately book a test through NHS Inform https://www.nhsinform.scot/sel... or, if they can’t get online, by phoning 0800 028 2816.

In accordance with Test and Protect, https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/test-and-protect

Where is the nearest Test Site?

The NHS will inform you of the nearest test site.

What should guests do if they have a positive test result?

If the affected person has mild symptoms they should go home as soon as they notice symptoms and follow the guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection. Where possible they should minimise contact with others, e.g. use a private vehicle to go home. If it is not possible to use private transport, then they should be advised to return home quickly and directly. If using public transport, they should try to keep away from other people, wear a face covering and catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue.

Who would be liable for any costs associated with an extended stay, including any cancelled bookings for future guests?

If the person can travel home safely they should do so. If they are unable to do this, and the accommodation is the safest place - then they should isolate there. They would be liable for costs of an extended stay. If it is not possible to remain in the accommodation for the duration of the isolation period e.g. because the accommodation is booked for future guests, and they can’t find other accommodation themselves with support from friends or family, the person should discuss this with the NHS Test and Protect team. There is assistance available for those who may need help to isolate via the National Assistance Helpline on 0800 111 4000. This helpline routes the person through to the local authority support team who, in discussion with the individual and the local health protection team, will help identify alternative isolation accommodation.

Does the local authority / NHS have to provide accommodation for the self-isolating guests if they can’t travel home?

As above, in the first instance they should travel home if they can do so safely. If not, they will need to discuss the safest option with Test and Protect team.