There is no denying the importance of, and how best to conduct, viewings is one of the leading topics in the rental market in 2020. At Andrew Lees, we know landlords and tenants are looking for guidance in this matter.

We work closely with local landlords and tenants, and we also stay in touch with national studies.

How comfortable are you with property viewings?

LandlordZONE conducted a Twitter poll asking landlords their thoughts on property viewings during lockdowns.

The poll was launched before the start of the most recent lockdown and 2,503 people responded to the question; “Will you feel comfortable allowing viewings in your property during lockdown?”

43% of respondents said they will not carry out property viewings during the lockdown period.

The Government advice, regarding viewings can be found on their website, alongside other guidance for landlords and tenants. The pertinent points regarding viewings is as follows:

• We encourage buyers and renters to do their initial property searches online wherever possible. Initial viewings should also be done virtually, and in-person viewings should only take place when buyers are seriously considering a property.

• To support this, agents may ask home occupiers to conduct virtual viewings. This will help reduce the number of properties people need to visit before finding their future home.

• All viewings should be by appointment only and no open house viewings should take place.

• There are unlikely to be physical protection measures in place in homes. In this case we would advise estate and letting agents to wear a face covering.

• Members of the public who are viewing a property should wear a suitable face covering as described in government guidance unless they are exempt from this requirement. This should be confirmed with the agent before arrival. Anyone with concerns should contact the agent in advance of their visit to discuss appropriate measures.

• If your property is being viewed, you should open all the internal doors prior to the viewing and allow access to handwashing facilities and ideally separate towels/paper towels.

• We would recommend that you vacate your property whilst viewings are taking place in order to minimise unnecessary contact.

• When viewing a property, everyone should wash their hands and avoid touching surfaces where possible.

• We expect property agents to accompany clients on a viewing and follow social distancing guidance. Where viewings are unaccompanied, agents should make sure viewers and the occupants of the home understand how they should conduct themselves to protect their health and the health of other.

• Once the viewing has taken place, the occupant should ensure surfaces, such as door handles, are cleaned with standard household cleaning products and towels disposed of safely or washed as appropriate.

The Government is advocating the use of virtual viewings wherever possible.

David Alexander of lettings platform Apropos says: “Virtual viewings, as a concept, would have been laughed at a year ago but are now the norm. Our business has experienced a substantial increase in activity in the last four months with the number of new properties coming to our business achieving a record high. All of this was done online, and our new landlords and tenants were happy to work this way.”

As an experienced letting agent serving the Bridgwater community, and many of the surrounding areas, we are here to help. We promise to stay in touch with the latest technology, helping our clients to achieve more, and we aim to support the local community as best we can. If there is anything, we can assist you with; please contact Andrew Lees Lettings today.