Government Updates: Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19)
ENGLAND
24th September 2020 - As a result of the changes announced by the Government, it is important that agents review their Covid-19 Protocols. As with the reopening of the housing market in early May 2020, opt for and promote the use of virtual viewings and valuations before making plans for face to face appointments.
Crucial FAQs
Should offices remain open?
Offices can remain open, however Government guidance states that where possible, work from home. For those working in an office environment, ensure Covid-19 Protocols are in place. Remember no one should be in a work environment if they have any COVID-19 symptoms.
Put in place a ‘locked door’ policy and advice clients and potential clients that access is “by appointment only’
The Importance of Training Letting Agents & Estate Agents
In August Fixflo held an on-demand masterclass with Susie Crolla, CEO of the Guild of Letting & Management, to help lettings and property management professionals understand the value of training to their business. Titled ‘Why Bother With Training When You Can Google Your Question?,’ the webinar sought to answer this question as well as a variety of others around the importance of training in the property industry.
In times of uncertainty like we’ve had this year with the COVID-19 pandemic, training can be one of the first things that businesses cut back on because it’s deemed unnecessary to current operations. But is this the right approach? And can training be replaced by simply asking your questions to a search engine?
Susie spoke about topics such as the value of training, how to use search engines in a responsible way, and the best ways to stay up to date with changes in the industry. Here are some of the key takeaways from that discussion.
Urgent Information regarding Suspensions on Housing Evictions and Service of Notice
After today’s announcement at 3:46pm, the Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced that the Government will be extending the suspension (stay) on eviction proceedings for a further four weeks. It was anticipated that on the 24th August 2020, courts would resume possession proceedings, with the focus being on the pre-existing pre-lockdown claims for possessions and evictions that had been halted as a result of the pandemic.
On 20th September when the courts resume hearings relating to repossession, consideration and priority will be given to the most challenging of cases, prioritising those that involve anti-social behaviour, situations involving criminal activity and of course, rent arrears that have been accrued by the tenant for a significant period of time and have had an impact of the landlords financial situation.
With such an unprecedented situation that has impacted the whole country, this will mean that no tenants have been evicted since the 22nd March 2020. It is important to note that the suspension on housing repossessions also applies to mortgage lenders.
It is important to bear in mind that on the Friday 17th July as a result of the Coronavirus Act 2020, it was announced that the Civil Procedure Rules relating to possession claims would be changed and that the protocols relating to existing claims for possession requiring claimants (landlords) who intended to resume claims to “inform the court and defendant in writing via a “Reactivation Notice”. As a result of today’s announcement, it is crucial that landlords seek additional legal advice if in fact they have already advised the court and tenants of their intentions to move forward with possession claims and evictions.
Busiest month for ten years as home-buying supersedes summer holidays
The rulebook has been rewritten as the post-lockdown mini-boom accelerates rather than slows down. There is normally a seasonal slowdown in housing market activity over the summer months, as both buyers and sellers turn their attention to summer holidays. But this year, home movers have put more property on the market and have agreed more sales than in any month for over ten years, worth a record total of over £37 billion. This is leading to monthly price increases in ten out of twelve regions, with a record high in new seller asking prices in seven of those regions. Prices usually fall at this time of year, as sellers try to tempt holiday distracted buyers, with the national average monthly fall for the last ten years being 1.2%. While there is a slight monthly fall of 0.2% (-£768), this is due to London’s more normal seasonal fall of 2.0%, reversing what would otherwise have been an unseasonal national rise.