Checklists

Checklist provided by 

www.propertychecklists.co.uk

When you want to let or sell a property and are arranging visits there is a lot that you can do, together with property professionals, to take sensible precautions and minimise the time people spend in your property. 

Property professionals will need to ask a series of questions prior to visiting your property, including:

• Has anyone in the home had COVID-19?
• Has anyone at home displayed COVID-19 symptoms or not yet completed a required period of household self-isolation?
• Do you or anyone in your family have any COVID-19 symptoms?
• Is there someone in the property that could be/is in the high-risk category? If so, they should ideally be placed elsewhere. Can a representative be appointed in their place?

To keep contact to a minimum:

• No open house viewings should take place.
• Ideally, only one professional and up to two other adults should attend viewings. Where viewers need to be accompanied by small children they should be kept from touching surfaces.
• Physical viewings should be limited to members of the same household. eg If a couple wish to view but are currently living in separate households, they should book separate viewings.
• Your property professional is likely to ask whether you can leave the property during viewings, so do advise if this is not possible (Can you go for a walk? Leave your home for food shopping? Be outside?)
• Where possible, only one property professional will visit the property at a time. Where that is not possible, for example, if two removal people are required, or if you have tradespeople working on the property, professionals should adhere to current social distancing measures if they can. (Please see moving day checklist).
• Viewings will ideally take place outside of commuting times to avoid rush hour.
• Anyone coming to assess your home for a valuation, surveys, assessment of energy performance, or for any other purpose, will ask many questions about your property and put direct questions to you prior to the visit, in the interests of minimising time spent in your property, for example:
  • Why are you moving?
  • Is the property occupied? If so, are the occupant’s tenants or homeowners?
  • How many people are currently in the property?
  • Are there any potential risks to the occupants?
  • What is the current and planned future use of the property?
  • Where are the fuse box, gas meter, water meter, stop cock, boiler, water storage tank, broadband connection located?
  • Have you got copies of any electrical, gas safety or other guarantees/warranties for windows, boilers, historical damp treatment paperwork, planning documents for extensions, etc?
  • Has the property been subject to any subsidence? If so, what was the cause and has the problem been solved?

Please have answers to the above questions ready when you speak to your property professional.

15-minute viewing and visits

Where possible, and depending on the size of the property, agents and viewers will be asked to minimise time inside the property.

This won’t be possible, however, for property assessments such as energy performance, for preparing marketing materials, and surveys or removals.

Check carefully any terms and conditions so you know whether:

• There are restrictions and limitations of the service that can be offered due to precautions taken during COVID-19.
• The service may take longer than before due to the precautions taken. This is likely, so please be patient and understanding.