Covid 19 Policies for Viewing, Market Appraisals and Visiting our office

We want to keep our clients, staff and members of the public as safe as possible. With this in mind, below, in order, are our policies for:

• Office Visits
• Property Market Appraisal (valuation - sales and lettings)
• Sales Viewings
• Lettings Viewings
• Lettings Property Inspections

Office Visits

Our Gloucester office is open for visits from members of the public however these must be by prior appointment. When booking the appointment we will need to ask you:

Have you been in contact with anyone who has displayed symptoms in the last 14 days?
Have you displayed any symptoms in the last 14 days with a cough or temperature?

To enter our office and during the appointment, you will need to wear a face mask. Our staff have desk screens and keep a distance of 2 meters apart from each other. When a distance of 2 metres apart is not possible or when members of the public are in the office, they will wear a face mask.

Property Market Appraisal (valuations for sales and lettings)

Firstly, we can carry out a property market appraisal via video call or we can carry out a physical inspection in the normal way but with a reduced appointment time and the appropriate PPE.

For a physical inspection, prior to the appointment we will need to know:

• Have you been in contact with anyone who has displayed symptoms in the last 14 days?
• Have you displayed any symptoms in the last 14 days with a cough or temperature?

You will receive a call on the morning of the appointment to confirm both the time and that the answers to the above has not changed.

The appointment will be split into two parts:

First

This is a physical inspection of the property. Government guidelines are that this should be around 15 minutes in length. Our agent will attend and will be wearing shoe covers, disposable gloves and a face mask. They will also use anti-bacterial gel before and after the appointment.

Please wear a face mask, maintain a distance of 2 metres throughout the visit and ensure all internal doors are open so that our member of staff does not need to touch anything in the property.

Second

This can be either over the phone or via video call. We will run through what we feel the likely value of the property is, what we can do for you as a company and how much we charge.

Should you wish to proceed, instructions can be taken digitally.

Viewings

It is recommended for ‘physical viewings’ to only take place for someone showing ‘strong interest’ and after a ‘video viewing’ has taken place.

The ‘video viewing’ essentially replaces what would’ve been the ‘first viewing’. The ‘physical viewing’ replaces what would’ve been the ‘second viewing or review’.

Once someone has seen the ‘video viewing’ and confirmed their wish to move forwards with a ‘physical viewing’ we need to establish ‘strong interest’.

Sales Viewings (2 stage process)

First

We will send you an email with a link to the property on our website. This will show you:

• Marketing Photographs
• Full Description
• Floorplan: This shows the layout of the property as well as the measurements of the rooms in the floorplan. This ensures you are aware of the layout and the sizes of the rooms
• ‘Video Viewing’: This is not just a slide show of the marketing pictures. It is an actual video of the property.

Second

To proceed to a ‘physical viewing’ we will need you to confirm you have looked at the information on each of the links. The reason for this is to reduce the amount of ‘physical viewings’ that could have been avoided.

There are many instances where someone expresses a strong interest in a property only to rule it out within the first few minutes of a viewing. This could be due to the property being the wrong size or layout for them etc or something else that would be visible on the ‘video viewing.

We will also need to ask you several qualifying questions to establish your ability to proceed. These questions include whether you need to sell or not and, if you require a mortgage, have a mortgage agreement in principle.

Viewing Duration: This is recommended to be around 15 minutes.

All (before the viewing): Owners, viewers and agents to all confirm they are not showing symptoms or have been asked to self-isolate.

Viewers (before the viewing): To confirm they have seen the description, photographs and video viewing prior to the physical viewing.

Viewers: Two adults max and to be members of the same household plus it is requested that no children attend the viewing. Should children need to attend the viewing it is requested the adults ensure the children do not touch anything in the property.

All: Shoe covers (or take shoes off), gloves, masks, hand gel and not to touch anything in the property. If anything needs to be touch (should be by a member of staff) then the member of staff will have anti-bacterial wipes with them. Social distancing (2 metres) will also be requested.

Property: The occupier is responsible for cleaning and sanitising surfaces, opening windows, and ensuring the maximum ventilation available. It is requested for the occupier to leave all internal doors open to avoid the need to touch them.

Owners: Requested to not be present during the viewing. The member of staff that is doing the viewing can call/text/what’s app (whichever works for the owner) when the viewing has finished so they can return.

Lettings Viewings (3 stage process)

First

We will send a Tenant an email. This will be a link to the property on our website. This will show a prospective Tenant:

• Marketing Photographs
• Full Description: This will show information on the Holding Deposit and Security Deposit etc
• Floorplan: This shows the layout of the property as well as the measurements of the rooms in the floorplan. This ensures a prospective Tenant is aware of the layout and the sizes of the rooms
• ‘Video Viewing’: This is not just a slide show of the marketing pictures. It is an actual video of the property.

The reason for ensuring a prospective Tenant has seen the links is to reduce the amount of ‘physical viewings’ that could have been avoided. There are many instances where someone expresses a strong interest in a property only to rule it out within the first few minutes of a viewing. This could be due to the property being the wrong size or layout for them etc or something else that would be visible on the ‘video viewing.

Second

A ‘physical viewing’ can be arranged once a prospective Tenant has looked at the points mentioned above and answered a set of qualifying questions.

The reason for asking these questions in advance of the referencing process is to reduce the amount of ‘physical viewings’ that could have been avoided.

There are many instances where someone expresses a strong interest in a property only to find out after a viewing they would fail the referencing. Equally so, there may be something about their own criteria that would make the property unsuitable for them or for the Landlord.

Third (the physical viewing)

Viewing Duration: This is recommended to be around 15 minutes.

All (before the viewing): Occupiers, viewers and agents to all confirm they are not showing symptoms or have been asked to self-isolate.

Viewers (before the viewing): To confirm they have seen the description, photographs and video viewing (Stage 1) as well as providing answers to the pre-qualifying questions (Stage 2)

Viewers: Two adults max and to be members of the same household plus it is requested that no children attend the viewing. Should children need to attend the viewing it is requested the adults ensure the children do not touch anything in the property.

All: Shoe covers (or take shoes off), gloves, masks, hand gel and not to touch anything in the property. If anything needs to be touch (should be by a member of staff) then the member of staff will have anti-bacterial wipes with them. Social distancing (2 metres) will also be requested.

Property: The occupier is responsible for cleaning and sanitising surfaces, opening windows, and ensuring the maximum ventilation available. It is requested for the occupier to leave all internal doors open to avoid the need to touch them.

Occupiers: Requested to not be present during the viewing. The member of staff that is doing the viewing can call/text/what’s app (whichever works for the occupier) when the viewing has finished so they can return.

Lettings Property Inspections

The day of the inspection will be pre-arranged with Tenants. The time of the inspection is usually between 10:00am and 2:00pm. Having said that, should a Tenant need a specific time we are able to accommodate this:

Inspection Duration: This is recommended to be around 15 minutes.

All (before the inspection): Occupiers and agents to all confirm they are not showing symptoms or have been asked to self-isolate.

During the Inspection: Our member of staff will wear gloves, a face mask and shoe covers (or take their shoes off). They will use anti-bacterial hand gel before and after the appointment.

Property: Technically, the occupier is responsible for cleaning and sanitising surfaces, opening windows, and ensuring the maximum ventilation available. Having said that, we request that occupiers leave all internal doors open to avoid the need to touch them. If anything does need to be touched the member of staff will have anti-bacterial wipes with them.

Occupiers: Requested to not be present during the inspection. The member of staff that is doing the inspection can call/text/what’s app (whichever works for the occupier) when the inspection has finished if necessary to update them that the inspection has finished.