EYE NEWSFLASH! Green light given for resumption of estate agency activity

EYE has become aware of the detail of The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 which apparently come into force tomorrow, May 13th.

The amendments appear to alter travel restrictions as follows:

(v) or sub-paragraph (l), substitute—

“(l) to undertake any of the following activities in connection with the purchase, sale, letting or rental of a residential property— (i) visiting estate or letting agents, developer sales offices or show homes; (ii) viewing residential properties to look for a property to buy or rent; (iii) preparing a residential property to move in;(iv) moving home; (v) visiting a residential property to undertake any activities required for the rental or sale of that property;”

This appears to give a green light for the resumption of estate agency activity.

We will update the story in the morning – and with an important message for everyone working in Agency

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17 Comments

  1. JohnJames

    Hopefully, this will be the beginning of things moving back to normal safely and gradually… We can enforce suitable PPE and get the market moving again.

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    1. Bless You

      Before you start celebrating.

      This isn’t workable but you will need staff to handle time wasters..

      I.e. no furloughing.

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  2. SouthCoastAgent75

    How did the housing minister not know this?

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  3. Steviex

    So potential purchasers can travel 200 miles plus to look at a property? And if we go into a property with residents in we have to cover full PPE. No matter how much I want to get back to work it’s still confusing.
    I personally will not be opening the office for a few weeks yet, working from home is all still working fine

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  4. mattfaizey

    Sunday to now with regards MHCLG and the re-starting of housing market activity has been handled very, very poorly
    This morning’s Jenrick story has been laid bare as incompetence.
    I doubt we will ever find out by who.
    Planning and running a business connected with the market has been very awkward last 48hours.
    I’m surprised any Gov would get it this squiffy

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  5. GPL

     

    Thank You PIE for flagging up early, very helpful.

     

    Our Industry and the UK have now spent weeks “training” on Social Distancing etc ……..with care, we can move forward, and Our Industry can ease back into play.

     

    Let’s see how Scotland moves on this, from my perspective. Demand, Activity & Clients are there ……we just need to take care how we move forward however it’s certainly manageable.

     

     

     

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    1. mattfaizey

      Amen to that

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  6. PaulC

    Not in Wales though or Scotland??

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  7. Certus

    I cant believe this really, sounds rushed, pressured and even panicked. No details of how this works, but the PM made it clear only 1 person can visit a family member of 1, in a safe way. So how can a couple view a house with a whole family in it?  Contradicts the PM.

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    1. Steviex

      I agree. It’s all quite up in the air. Do I order face masks and gloves for everyone?

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  8. RyanD

    So this doesn’t include Wales, no? We are still on lockdown here. But what about viewings, how can people travel to view a property when we cannot even see our own families. Seems so rushed.

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  9. Lollipop04

    What timing! Just recovering from covid19 myself didn’t furlough have worked through it to support existing clients online. oh and kids still at home for most of us. How is this going to work? I am waiting for my covid19 test results from 2 weeks ago… still no results shambolic and dangerous move. Its a terrible disease that is nowhere near under control. I will not be prepared to deal with time wasters or day trippers. My background is also in science and I can tell you this is going to be a catastrophe. We will support existing clients before taking on any new business and the health and safety of my staff and customers will come first before any new business.   

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  10. Sequence 1

    I’m sorry but this is a joke.

    I have not got a problem going back to the office to support my vendors.

    But i, and many others too, haven’t seen family in months BUT it’s now classed as ok to head into a strangers home with other strangers for a viewing!

    I think it’s madness! Might as well put all my family and friends houses “on the market” and spend my day’s at “viewings” with people I care about.

    Money isn’t everything, I won’t get time back with my Mum, Dad, my infant nieces!

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  11. YorkshireEstateAgent

    Another brilliantly thought out strategy. I can’t visit my kids or grandkids, if they visit us, it’s either me or mum. However the govt have made an exemption to their Coronavirus Restrictions that allow me to visit strangers in their homes all day? Fantastic. 

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  12. Property Poke In The Eye

    The virus has not gone.  Nothing has changed since we all closed our offices.  So please all, be careful and dont follow the crowd make your own decisions.

    If you absolutely have to open due to financial constraints then you have no choice but to open, otherwise try and work remotely as much as you can.

    We have the second second highest deaths – the government has got this wrong again!!

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  13. 40yearvetran08

    Watch the corporates panic. They have 90% of staff on Furlough while still collecting all the rental income. Staff being paid by the government with most not getting topped up to 100%. For some of these businesses they are probably better off, now they have to figure out what to do. Time For the independent to clean up while the bean counter led corporate run around like headless chickens.

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  14. paulnewboy26

    This decision is a shambles and I hold Propertymark etc partly responsible for “lobbying” the Government without thinking this through properly.
    We have worked well as a small agent working from home and managing our customers. The fact we have all worked through the last 6-8 weeks and established a sensible “holding pattern” with all clients, to then risk it all is bonkers. I cannot see family in their gardens, but I can view a house today with total stranger etc etc……WTF.
    Schools are not open = staff cannot work. Furloughed staff cannot simply “return”.
    The list goes on, but hey, I guess the “big boys” have pushed hard to get the doors open so they can attempt to pay their huge debts off…..good luck. I’m staying at my breakfast bar for a few more weeks and I and my team will be ready when we think it’s SAFE……..

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