Four Weeks on. What have Letting Agencies been doing to Deal with the "New Normal" ?

Just over a month ago, we watching how Covid-19 was unravelling life in Italy, Spain, Germany & France; the national press were telling us what the impact of Covid-19 could potentially be in the UK, yet even as we witnessed what was going on in mainland Europe, nothing prepared us for the domino effect this illness would have on our green and pleasant land.
March 17 th, the Chancellor says that " We will do whatever it takes to protect our people and businesses from the effects of this global economic emergency brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic."
Soon after, the landscape of the country changed beyond all recognition, no plans in place, no blueprint to refer back to, emergency legislation was put in place to deal with these unprecedented times.
As the situation evolved, letting agents began dealing with their "New Normal". A review of the last 4 weeks, gives us an idea of just what strategies needed to be put in place, and looking forward, what needs to be done when businesses begin to open again.

From Office to Home

One of the most notable changes in many sectors, and within lettings and estate agency specifically, was the sudden need to close offices and prepare employees for w new way of working. In an industry that has always existed face-to-face, Working From Home (WFH) quickly became the norm, ensuring that phone diverts were in place and remote access was up and running

Digital Upskilling

Being office based is one thing, those morning meeting run like clock work, diary management at everyone’s finger tips, the central database is where it is meant to be, built-in processes & procedures have to be tweaked to ensure compliance with GDPR & Data protection. For a long time tech experts and the technology sector have been urging the industry to address this for years.

From Face to Face Meetings to Zoom, Facebook Live, GoToMeeting

Everyone is adjusting to social distancing orders and as a result video conferencing has never been more in demand. Eric Yuan, founder and CEO of Zoom has made almost 4 billion dollars in 3 months as usage of the software has skyrocketed. This cultural shift was needed in order for people to fully embrace the benefits and has left employers & employees busy navigating not only the software, but the technique on how to “present” on screen. Pyjamas, lounge wear or business attire? Yes, that worries people.

To View or Not to View

A contentious issue when offices closed. Were viewings “essential”? Some felt not, whereas letting agents have been liaising with key workers who need to move closer to work, those who need to live away from vulnerable or elderly family & friends, those who are experiencing domestic violence. This where Virtual Viewings and tech allows prospective tenants to immerse themselves into a virtual walk thorough of a property from the comfort of their home.

Property Inspections, Inventories, Check ins & Check outs - Deemed Essential or Not?

Interim inspections have been put on hold, but inventory clerks are protecting themselves with protective equipment to carry out inventories/check ins/check outs where possible, liaising heavily with their clients to ensure keys are in the location they are meant to be and that social distancing is observed.

Property Maintenance & Repairs

The Health & Safety Executive along with the Gas Safe Register, NIEIC and other professional bodies have provided a lot of information for their contractors & letting agents to clarify their position on anything related to emergencies, work carried out by contractors, access and of course, asking the right questions before they attend appointments. These organisations have made it their priority to prioritise the importance of PPE that will protect the user against health or safety risks at work.

Paperwork & Documents

The Government announced so many changes in such a short space of time, one of which included “mortgage holidays” from lenders; this in turn meant that landlords could potentially offer a “rent holiday” to tenants. Putting the deferred rent payments in place, if agreed with the landlord, means paperwork has to be in place to reflect these interim changes to the contracts in place.

Notices, Time-Frames & Court Proceedings

One of the most significant changes relates to Section 21 (Form 6A) and Section 8 (Form 3) and the time frame for notice. The Government is working on a 3 month window from March 26th. This means that any notice served from that date must give the tenants 3 months notice. The templates on the Government website have been updated to that effect. Letting agents have been instructed by their landlord clients to serve notice for a vast array of reasons noting, however, that should the tenant fail to vacate, court proceedings cannot commence as there is a suspension of housing possession cases.

Process

Dealing with processes has been interesting, in particular where any “face to face” contact was previously required, Right to Rent checks being the most obvious. The Government has temporarily adjusted the checks until further notice.

Record Keeping

Keeping records up to date & accurate is paramount when so much change is taking place. This is not relevant just for deferred payments, it is crucial where EPCs, Gas Safety Certificates & other safety certificates cannot be carried out because tenants are self-isolating or contractors are unable too fulfil the work required.

Protecting Data & Privacy

Working from Home means that data belonging to a third party is being accessed outside the workplace. Computers and laptops need to be password protected to ensure that the criteria set by the ICO is adhered to. The ICO checklists re security and their BYOD are very useful.

Employees - Working from Home & their Needs

It is quite a novelty to begin with, but for employees with families, it is a juggling act. Parents, guardians & carers have also become “teachers” trying to home-school their children and keep them entertained. The stresses of working from home and taking care of a family, can be overwhelming. Checking in with employees is extremely important.

Government Support

The Government promise to support businesses begins on the 20th April when funding becomes available for those affected by Covid-19. Furloughing is new to most people in the UK, so it is important that employees are provided with the right information, and the same applies to owners, managers and directors.

Advice & Support

Ensure that you stay up to date with any changes being made. Seek advice whenever you need it especially if you are working home alone.

Time - Management & Taking a Break

Working from Home is not the same as being office bound or out on appointments. Planning your day and your week is more important than ever. The days may seem longer, but there is a tendency to get a bit carried away with the workload. The office may be closed, but it’s busier than ever.

Keeping Things Going

With all the additional workload Covid-19 has created, letting agents are still dealing with the day to day tasks that still have to be dealt with and completed.

Planning Forward & Future Proofing Your Letting Business

This is not a “former” situation, so when the UK comes out of lockdown, you and your team need to be ready. We will address this in our next blog.