A regional agency has thrown its weight behind an independent report which says estate and lettings agents could lead the economy out of lockdown.
Essex and Hertfordshire agency Mullucks backs the call, made by Conservative peer Lord Ghadia and GlaxoSmithKline’s chairman Sir Jonathan Symonds.
The report has been submitted to ministers as they receive advice on how to revive the economy without compromising the nation’s health; agents’ offices, along with coffee shops and restaurants, were recognised as having high ‘multiplier’ effects, leading to the generation of work throughout the economy.
“The safety of our staff and the wider public would need to be our first consideration. However, once restrictions are lifted, there’s no reason why we wouldn’t be able to practice social distancing effectively - whether it’s in our offices, on valuations or on viewings” explains Mullucks managing director Daniel Galati.
“Estate agency is a business which has one of the widest potential impacts as an economic revival ‘multiplier’, but with minimal risk of spreading infection among the population further. Once we can get back to work, then builders, surveyors, solicitors and removal firms can all resume business too” he adds.
“Obviously the world is waiting for a vaccine before we know that we can get back to business as normal. And clearly, the government would also like estate agency to resume again, because of the tax receipts it would mean for the Treasury.
“I think it would be important to avoid a ‘stop-start’ economy, which would damage public morale and business confidence yet further. But until the time comes, we welcome the recommendations in this report, and are standing by, ready to step in, as and when we are allowed to do so.”
Earlier this week epropservices, parent company of Fine & Country and The Guild of Property Professionals, sent an open letter to the government urging agents’ offices to be amongst the first to be reopened when safe.
epropservices chief executive Jon Cooke says: “Our sector can play a key part in the drive to getting the economy on its feet again. Our emphasis during this process is to ensure that every precaution is taken to keep people safe. We are pushing for the industry to be able to get back to work, but it is paramount that we all follow the correct procedures to ensure everyone is protected.”
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Absolutely behind this suggestion
We are still getting many new enquires and lots want to see properties!
We need to get back to some safe way of working in the property world
I
Same as SIr. We are still getting leads from people wanting to view once lockdown is over. I know it will not be easy, but we could be writing business which would be good for all concerned.
Stay Safe
I don't see what the problem is, I have been doing inventory check ins and outs, the tenants leave me to get on with it, keys are given a quick squirt and handed over/collected at a distance, for sales all you have to do is open the door and follow at a safe distance and if its empty just let them get on with it. You are more at risk at the supermarket.
Now is the time to work and clean your crm.
Be active in your community.
Help people who need help.
People remember
What happened to Stay safe, Stay at home, Save lives? We're not out of the pandemic yet.
I cannot understand any logic in having them re-opened yet. There's no downturn in the Covid-19 figures. Opening bars, restaurants, estate agency seems insane to me - other than to satisfy Landlord High Street rental income!
Why is this being pushed?!
Nobody is talking about opening bars for months, it is perfectly possible for agents to work at arms length I've been doing so for weeks.
Hi Richard, I was reading the article as a whole, "The report has been submitted to ministers as they receive advice on how to revive the economy without compromising the nation’s health; agents’ offices, along with coffee shops and restaurants, were recognised as having high ‘multiplier’ effects, leading to the generation of work throughout the economy." I still don't see how bars and restaurants have any play in this what so ever.
Hi All. Need help to understand if Govt strictly stopped to complete sale transactions where contract is not exchanged yet. Understand Govt shared guidelines but why transactions cannot be completed if people follow social distance rules. Any thought please?
100% agree anf 1 of my sales is to an EXTREMELY key worker (no names) who HASC to move, the lawyers are progressing from home, the sale is cash, the flat will be empty . No issues in my eyes
I am sorry to disagree but all agency work where face to face is involved should remain closed.
How would any of you feel if you inadvertently spread the infection to a person who subsequently died?
None of you have spoken about personal experiences with people you know who may have contracted the virus or died as a result. Is that because you haven't had that experience yet? The statistics suggest that you will all be touched one way or another either with infection or death of someone you know. Its only a matter of time and there is a long time to go!
Lobbying in such an open way is a public relations disaster the industry could do without. We will survive this, we have done in the past and we will again but not by appearing to be self interested in the eyes of the general public.
As Chancellor Merkel reminded everyone today this pandemic has barely started. If I told anyone we had made 0.029% progress on a task they would no doubt tell me I had made little progress and had a long way to go. Thats how much of the global population has so far been infected. Interestingly the mortality rate globally is running at 7%, and 13% in the UK, much higher than the 3.4% WHO estimate, albeit they keep revising it upwards.
This wont be over until there is a) a vaccine in the numbers required to immunise everyone, or b) we have all had it. Most people say the vaccine is 12 months away at least in the numbers required. The only possible way out more quickly is if millions of us have already had it and survived, but we are no nearer to us all getting tested than getting a vaccine. So we have to buy ourselves 12 months breathing space until it's ready. If we all go out and get it before then, 630 million people are going to die. Sounds dramatic, but at 0.029% very few people as Andrew says have been touched by this yet, but most of us will be. Perhaps everyone will have a different view when they have, and perhaps then social distancing would be taken more seriously that would enable recommendations like this to happen. Its talked about a lot as a workable solution to allow the economy to breathe, but I see dozens of people breaking it every time I venture out and the lockdown hasnt even ended.
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