We are open for business, but common sense and the safety of our customers must come first. Our aim is to re-introduce business safely and to accommodate your personal wishes and circumstances. Whether on the market with us, or contacting us for the first time to discuss your move – rest assured, your safety is paramount to us.
1) VISITING US
The office will be manned ad-hoc until lock down eases further and visits to the office by the public will be by appointment only. Whilst we are still in precautionary measures we will still be working from home as well as our office. You may ring us at short notice for same day appointments in the office and we will arrange for all surfaces and customer areas to be cleaned for your arrival. There will be antibacterial hand wipes for visitors to use upon arrival and we will ask that customers remain behind the desks (as indicated) when visiting, staying closest to the main entrance of the office. Please do not be offended if we don’t shake your hand to greet you – It’s safer for all of us.
2) PREPARING TO BUY, SELL OR MOVE HOME
You can put your home on the market and start to look for properties you want to move into. If any member of the household being viewed is showing symptoms or is self-isolating then estate agents should not physically visit the property. Please ask us about a virtual valuation.
- You can begin to market your home and we are able to visit in order to take photos/videos of the property. (see below for valuations)
- To help prevent the spread of infection, we encourage people to do the majority of their property searching online; for example only physically viewing those properties which you believe you are most likely to want to move into.
- As usual, you can also start to bring together the documentation necessary to sell your property (more information on these documents is available in the government’s guidance on how to sell homes https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-sell-a-home
3) VALUING YOUR HOME
We are happy to come and value your home and to help you plan for the future. We can offer virtual valuations via video call, or we can visit you at your property. Whilst we are in precautionary measures we will ask that we keep any meeting in your home short, following distancing guidelines set by the government.
What this could look like:
-An initial video call or telephone call to discuss your needs.
-We visit your home, if you feel comfortable we’ll ask you to step back (or outside if you prefer) whilst we have a brief look around. We may ask to take some pictures so we can keep the time we spend inside your home to a minimum (Currently, ideally no longer than 15 minutes)
-We’ll then offer to have a brief chat to discuss our initial findings at a distance, if you feel comfortable, or a brief chat outside of your home if this is more comfortable for you.
-Finally we’ll report back to you over the phone or email with our final valuation report and guidance to your personal situation.
4) VIEWINGS
We have adopted the following guidance:
We offer virtual viewings before visiting our properties in person where possible, in order to minimise public health risks. If any member of either the household being viewed, or the household undertaking a viewing is showing symptoms of coronavirus or is self-isolating, then a physical viewing should be delayed. All viewings should take place by appointment and only involve members of a single household.
- We encourage people to do their property searching online wherever possible. Initial viewings should be done virtually wherever this is possible and physical viewings should only be conducted where buyers are seriously considering making an offer on a property.
- To support this, we will ask home occupiers to conduct virtual viewings. This will help reduce the number of properties people need to visit before finding their future home.
- Viewings are to be conducted by appointment only and no open house viewings to take place.
- If your property is being viewed, you should open all the internal doors prior to the viewing, and allow access to hand washing facilities and ideally separate towels/paper towels.
- As most people choose to do, we encourage that you vacate your property whilst viewings are taking place in order to minimise your contact with those not in your household. We can accompany viewings for your reassurance.
- When viewing a property, all parties should wash their hands and avoid touching surfaces where possible. We will ask you to restrict the number of people who accompany you on a viewing so that social distancing can be practiced, and only those in your immediate household should be there. Unfortunately we ask that you don’t bring children with you to viewings at the present time if at all possible.
- We expect to accompany clients on a viewing but follow social distancing rules wherever possible. Where viewings are unaccompanied, we will make sure viewers and homeowners understand how they should conduct themselves.
- Once the viewing has taken place, the homeowner should ensure surfaces touched, such as door handles, are cleaned with standard household cleaning products and towels disposed of safely or washed as appropriate.
- We would ask that if you are attending a viewing or conducting a viewing, that you consider bringing your own PPE and hand sanitiser for your safety and to minimise any risk of cross contamination. Whilst we are able to offer you Hand sanitiser, Shoe covers and Gloves in the office, we would recommend you source your own if at all possible. You may also wish to consider your own face mask or covering. Guidance on how to make these easily at home can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering
- Common sense should always prevail, please put other’s safety first.
5 – AGREEING A SALE OR PURCHASE
Surveyors, Banks, Solicitors, Energy assessors, Removal firms and Tradespeople are also now open for business. We are able to agree sales and progress them through to exchange of contracts where necessary. We will discuss your individual progress with you on a regular basis but if access is needed to your home by one of the above we will advise that you follow the current government guidelines for social distancing and adopt the same principles as conducting a property viewing (See point 4 above) The full government guidance on home moving can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-advice-on-home-moving-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak
People self-isolating or having tested positive for coronavirus:
Moving home is not appropriate whilst you pose a direct risk of transmitting coronavirus. People who have coronavirus or are self-isolating with their family member should not leave their home to either move home, or undertake property viewings.
We will ask you some questions when engaging in any of the above activities with us, these questions are here to protect you and help us assess the safest method to help you.
Please give us a call to discuss your circumstances on 01603 952595
