Updated: 24/03/2020
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 23rd March 2020, more stringent measures concerning operation of shops, public places and social interactions are immediately applicable. A breakdown of the full guidance can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52014472
As such, with immediate effect, our physical shop fronts will no longer be open. This is to prioritise the health and well-being of our clients and customers, and to comply fully with Government guidance. Only by playing our part as a company and as individuals will we be able to see a swift end to this pandemic and minimise loss of life.
As always, this approach will continue to develop as the guidance from the Government evolves, however this is how our services will look until further notice:
(1) We will be retaining all of our staff at this time. Our staff are equipped with the appropriate technology to be able to work from their homes whilst continuing to provide a quality and comprehensive service to our clients. You are able to contact your local branch on the number provided at the top toolbar of our website or you can call 0800 652 3131 and the team will put you through to the appropriate person.
(2) For the rental properties we manage, we will be continuing to collect rent and pass this onto landlords as is happening currently. Should you be facing hard times or fear you may be unable to pay your rent, please get in touch with us as soon as possible so we can make arrangements with you and the landlord. We are unable to give a general position on this issue due to the number of properties we manage. We will be making contact with landlords individually to discuss options with them concerning their situation.
(3) For landlords with rental properties currently on the market with us, we anticipate that there will not be many people looking to rent a new property over the coming months. We will continue to market the property as we have been to date and update landlords should there be any interest in the property. General guidance on the operation of viewings is outlined below.
(4) Unsurprisingly, the housing market has begun to slow and is likely to remain as such until COVID-19 has passed the infection and transmission stage in which we currently find ourselves. Those currently with homes on the market may struggle to find a buyer at this time. We will continue to market the properties as before, and do our best to find interested purchasers, even if they want to delay the sale until after the current situation. We will be in touch with vendors concerning any updates to the sale of their property as normal. As the guidance from the government has not yet covered sales contracts, we will not be able to void any contracts on the basis of COVID-19.
(5) If a client is interested in viewing a property, the initial viewing will be done by our team filming the inside of the property and sending this over email. This will give the client an idea of the property and will allow them to decide if they would like to arrange an in-person, one-to-one viewing. We ask clients that only if you are seriously interested in taking the property (for either rental or sale) to arrange a viewing, and when the viewing is arranged that only one person attends – this is to comply with the Government guidance of no more than two people gathering for any reason.
(6) Our ability to offer in-person viewings will be dictated by Government measures, and as the guidelines are clarified we may not be able to do viewings for a number of weeks. We appreciate that people may need to move home for reasons outside their control at this time and so we are currently offering one-to-one viewings to assist in these uncertain times. Our team will be taking appropriate measures to keep everyone healthy and safe by regularly sanitising their hands and asking you to do the same with the hand gel provided; cleaning down door handles and other hard surfaces with which they will come into contact; keeping at least one metre apart from others at all times; and avoiding all physical contact including usual business conventions i.e. shaking hands. We ask that you respect these guidelines to keep everyone safe: by attending a viewing everyone’s health is at risk.
As a small business, we are particularly keen to respond to the situation as best we can and keep all of our current clients satisfied with our service. This is an unprecedented situation for all of us, and we appreciate your patience and understanding and we will continue to operate as close to normal as possible.
If you want to discuss anything with our team, then please get in touch on phone or email listed below. We'd be happy to help where we can. And most importantly, make sure to prioritise your health and well-being, and keep safe in these uncertain times.
