Since getting the green light from the Government last week, we are pleased to have re-opened our doors for business albeit ‘not quite as usual’. We understand that safety issues are going to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds for the next few months, so have been carefully planning our protocols for carrying out valuations, marketing visits and viewings in order to minimise the risks for everyone.
We’d like to give you an overview of our safety measures that have been developed in line with the Government’s guidance to try and give you peace of mind that we’re taking all possible precautions at every step of the journey.
How we will conduct valuations
To ensure your safety and that of our staff, we have introduced a number of measures to minimise any risk whilst attending the appointment. This will include our valuer washing their hands when leaving our office, and wearing a new pair of disposable gloves whilst at the property. Whilst inside your home we will also be wearing a face covering and would ask that you do the same. We will practice social distancing.
If you, or any of your household have been unwell within the last 14 days, or have started to show signs of being unwell since booking the appointment, please advise our office as we will be unable to attend.
The property marketing visit
If you do decide to sell or let your home through Michael Hardy, you can be reassured that that we use the services of one of the UK’s leading property marketing agencies, to produce professional photographs, RICS certified floorplans, EPCs and 3D tours.
The beauty of using highly skilled professionals for this is that you will not only get a set of top-quality images/3D showcase tour of your home but all the details you need to get on the market can be produced from a single property visit. Many agencies have to send out different people for the photos, floorplans and EPCs so there are huge benefits right now in being able to get this done from just the one visit.
We have a designated photographer who will be wearing PPE when visiting your home, be following strict guidance about not touching items as well as practicing social distancing.
Hosting viewings
We will encourage everyone interested in viewing your property to carry out as much research as possible before requesting a physical viewing. If you have opted to have a 3D showcase created of your home, we will ensure that prospective buyers have taken the online tour beforehand.
Understandably, it is important for as few people as possible to come into contact with each other when physical viewings take place. As such, we will request where possible, for the occupants of your home to be out (or to step into the garden) when we are conducting a viewing.
We will make every endeavour to make sure that the people viewing the property follow our viewing protocols, but for maximum safety we would recommend:
- We ask that where possible you leave internal doors open so that we avoid having to open them.
- If there is a back door to the property please leave the key in it.
- If there is a side gate please leave it unbolted.
- As we can’t guarantee that all hard services and handles have not been touched, please wipe down all internal door handles and kitchen surfaces after we leave the property.
When we leave the property, we will wipe down the handle of the door we exit from with an anti-bacterial/viral spray.
Our viewing protocols
We will ask everyone visiting a property to abide by the following protocols:
- We ask that you only request a viewing after thoroughly researching the property – viewing all the details on our website and via a 3D tour if available.
- Viewings will only be possible if you have not been unwell in the last 14 days or been in contact with someone who has been unwell.
- No more than two applicants (and unfortunately no children) can attend a viewing.
- Please can you wear a face covering and clean gloves when attending a property.
- It is important to keep a 2 meters distance from any occupant at all times.
- Please don’t touch anything in the property. The owner or the agent will open doors.
We’d like to thank you all for taking extra care to protect the safety of our staff and all those involved with property viewings. At this sensitive time, we all understand the need to proceed with caution so as to avoid the risk of an escalation in the infection rate and to protect the most vulnerable members of our community.
If you have any queries about buying, selling or letting a property in the Wokingham or Crowthorne areas, or would like to book a no obligation valuation, please contact us on Wokingham 0118 977 6776 or Crowthorne 01344 779 999.
As you can imagine, there is a fair amount of pent up demand that has built up during the lockdown period with those wishing to move wanting to get on with it after an almost 8-week hiatus.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch to discuss any aspect of buying, selling or letting a property during the Covid-19 pandemic or for more information about our safety procedures.
View a selection of the properties we have to sell or rent.
