FAQs: How can we help?

To help protect our staff, suppliers and customers, we are encouraging regular and thorough hand washing and the use of hand sanitiser, where available. In all our locations we are strictly following the latest social distancing guidelines wherever possible, maintaining 2 metres between our colleagues and our customers. We have removed furniture and spaced this out accordingly in our waiting areas and we politely ask that if the waiting room becomes too busy to accommodate the required 2 metres of social distance between people, customers kindly comply with requests from the onsite team to step outside or take a short walk in a safer area while their place in the queue is held. We also thanks customers in advance for respecting the personal space of our employees and stepping back from the rental desk as requested.

Any employee with coronavirus symptoms or a family member showing symptoms is supported to isolate at home in line with government guidance to protect our people and customers. Normal business operations will continue at all UK branches unless advised otherwise. In line with government instructions, we are making use of virtual technology wherever possible as an alternative to face to face meetings. These measures are defined by the guidance given by official UK governmental and public health advisory organisations. These include the NHS, Department for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy, Public Health England and the Health & Safety Executive.

To ease the pressure on our operational colleagues and help us to sustain the best level of response during the working week we will immediately cease Saturday trading for the duration of the emergency.

We appreciate that this news, like much we have all received recently, will not be welcomed. However, we believe this approach to be fundamentally in the best overall interests of our customers our colleagues and our business.

In addition, branches may occasionally need to be closed due to staff shortages during this COVID-19 period. Please check the Branch Finder for the latest news on your local branch.

We are working hard to keep all Key Worker Customers’ fleet on the road as a priority and to do this we have put contingency plans in place to ensure critical services continue to be available. To maintain these services and our high standards. whilst protecting the health and safety of our team and customers in conditions that are unprecedented, we are now asking for all non-critical defects and events be deferred, ensuring priority is given to all critical events on these critical vehicles.

We have outlined what we have deemed “Critical” and “Non-Critical” Defects or Events and what to do in all of these scenarios in order to aid us all in making the right decisions.

Please read here for more detail.

Branches and workshops may occasionally need to be closed due to staff shortages during this COVID-19 period. Please check the Branch Finder for the latest news on your local branch.

There are naturally concerns surrounding ongoing supply of parts and services from our supply chain but we are in constant dialogue and none of them are currently flagging any issues. We, and they, are closely monitoring developments and Foreign Office advice on travel and distribution. The bulk of our suppliers have said there is no immediate or imminent lack of supply and they are in regular discussions themselves with manufacturers and distributers. Many of our suppliers now have several months’ worth of supply in the UK.

To date our service levels have not been negatively affected in any way. However, we are continually monitoring the threat, and should the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to escalate, we have put contingency plans in place to mitigate any challenges that may arise.

You may or may not be aware of the government communication relating to MOTs on LCVs where they have initiated an automatic extension of MOTs by 6 months for all due MOTs on or after the 30th March 2020.

We have a duty of care to our customers and a responsibility to ensure the fleet is moving to support all COVID-19 activity and because of this we have made the decision to continue to book and have MOTs completed where we can. It has been clear from some key customers that they want to continue having MOT inspections completed for peace of mind.

Read more about LCVs here.

The Government have also announced the Coronavirus (COVID-19): MOTs for lorries, buses, Minibuses and trailers extension for 3 months from 21st March 2020 to further support key activities during the next 3 months.

Read more about lorries, buses and trailers here.

These are unprecedented times which are putting strains on all businesses. If you are an existing Northgate customer faced with challenges regarding your current Northgate vehicles, please contact your account manager for advice and support please email us at business.support@northgateplc.com