The Government has released its long-awaited plan to ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions, but sadly there is no mention of estate agents.
A 50-page document published this afternoon doesn’t mention agents or the property market.
It comes as Boris Johnson addressed the nation on Sunday evening with what some saw as a garbled message urging people to return to work and travel to the office if they can or continue operating from home.
This suggests the status quo remains for the sector and physical viewings are still prohibited.
Agency branches have effectively been closed to the public since March 24th when estate and lettings agents were not included in a list of key workers.
Later Government guidance clarified that agents should work from home, properties can be marketed but viewings should not take place inside a property, although virtual viewings are allowed.
Those who had exchanged were urged to try to delay completion but the guidance said moves could go ahead if they were unavoidable and social distancing measures were followed.
EYE will provide updates once we have more information.
This document is….. as if RQ himself wrote it – lacks substance, but filled with words that mean nothing
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
What a dogs breakfast this Government has made of both the lockdown and reopening of businesses. This could have all been so much simpler had they actually given any thought to the property industry at all. It is a shame for many of the smaller and possibly larger businesses than mine – who may be now go out of the business.
What a disaster.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
I fear the mixed messages portrayed by the government are being driven by economic pressure, rather than considered logic. We are alleviating some of the measures at a time when our infection rate in the country is likely to be much higher than when we went into lockdown.
We are now typically detecting over 5,000 new cases per day rather than the substantially less than 1,000 when we entered lockdown. I realise we are testing more now, but we still do not have some of key track and trace measures in place that will be really needed to keep the virus in check.
From my calculations, between 3 and 5 million people have been infected since the start of the epidemic in the UK….and that was probably the figure two to three weeks ago!
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
It’s all clear as mud! Dominic Raab has said that the hospitality and personal services industries won’t be allowed to open until 4 July at the earliest. Are estate agents clumped into that group?
the government guidelines with regard to moving hasn’t been changed since 26th March.
As of today, tradesmen can visit your home, so long as they wash their hands and keep socially distant. Are we classed as a tradesman?
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
So 1st June is the advised open up time for estate agents
“When and where it is safe to do so, and subject to those retailers being able to follow the new COVID-19 Secure guidelines… the intention is for this to happen in phases from 1st June,” the document says.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
I’d have thought its possible for one family to move out, and the next day, new occupiers move in – Plenty of Social distance
( A lot more than there is on Public transport !!! )
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
Let’s put this into perspective . We are one industry not the only one .
you have been given free grants . Bounce bank loans , ability to furlough staff to lower costs . Suppliers in the main have jumped in to help out financially . So we were not in the 1st phase and or some clarity might be missing .
When Covid 19 1st hit it was panic but the panic cleared , the details were fed in as no doubt they will be now.
yow can still work , you can still with difficulty n inductions and agree let’s and sales .
it could be worse you could be a travel agent or a cafe or pub .
or you could have been a nurse having to work and risk your own health for others .
its very frustrating of course but have some perspective it could be worse.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
Most of us pay ourselves through divis / drawings / repayment of director loans. We get zero support from the Gov for that!!!
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
Take your point ian, but it didn’t have to be so bad as Total suspension of Possession, especially of Stayed cases, when Commercial tenants weren’t stayed, neither did any other E.U countries put the whole Possession process on ‘Ice’ If govt had said courts would hear ( remotely ) Rent arrears cases and if there were more than 2 months that WERE Covid-related, a Suspended Order for 12 months would be issued. Another thing they could have done is paid ALL Housing element immediately upon request, to the landlord direct. We were well and truly Chucked under the Bus, Again – and we didn’t have to be. Jez, – they didn’t even delay the Electrical testing certificate. So if the Gov are looking for landlords to cut them any slack, – they’re knocking on the wrong door ( no pun intended )
Landlords ‘perspective’ is on the All out war that Govt has waged on the PRS for over 5 years, and it continues.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
Agents are a no mans land business; and we don’t warrant special treatment….
Some will go bust, so will endure, some will lose their jobs and leave the industry, some will start up on their own.
It’s a time to support each other and be mindful of those much worse off than ourselves.
Good luck everyone, it is likely to be the new year before there is a housing market to speak of…..
I hope I am wrong.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
My political heroes are Thatcher & Tebbit. This buffon Johnson is a disgrace. I didn’t vote in the last election because I knew this clown would screw it all up. If you put toffs in charge, this is what happens.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
iainwhite87 Completely Agree!
Come on people think of industries far worse hit that us.
We don’t have stock that goes off
We are not reliant on manufacturers
MOST of our main costs have been largely covered to put the industry on pause.
Personally we are preparing to re-open for viewings from the 4th of June. We will re-open on the 1st and focus on booking the diary for the 4th, 5th and 6th.
Assuming the government tells us we can before Monday the 1st.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
If we all wait for everyone to agree we’ll be here all year – Common Sense must prevail. We all have elderly relatives that need protecting, so we’ll do what we need to do. Despite Gov’t financial help though we can’t rely on them to prescribe a way out for every single industry, so must all set a road map of our own. Let’s act sensibly, and is possible together, and do it ourselves, preferably not with a curtain twitching he says she says backdrop, we’re better than that and need to show our customers we are. Some of what we do as agents cannot be done from home, so if you can do it safely, do it. It’s easy to sit and snipe but as entrepreneurs, which most of us are, let’s use our nous and make our own way.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
Well said!!
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
‘Go back to work if you cannot work from home’
Or phrase like this;
‘Whoever you are, whatever you do, do it. Do it from home if you can, go to the appropriate place if not. If you’re on the list of ‘stay shut’ then stay shut. If not, get on with it, be sensible and respect social distancing as best you can.’
It isn’t difficult.
Estate Agents – be open for business, use your premises if you need to, respect social distancing, and any staff that can achieve their goals via home working, have them do that.
This is in my opinion a green light for the housing market.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
I think Bojo should have asked you to Deliver the message 😉
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register