Pace Properties COVID-19 Policy
Pace Properties is monitoring developments regarding Covid-19 and will continue to operate under the advice and guidelines provided by the UK Government.
In response to the continuing potential spread of the virus, we would like to assure all of our clients that in the event of a further lockdown or a need to self-isolate, the agency will be able to operate remotely and therefore maintain a high level of service to you.
Our key objective is to ensure the safety and welfare of staff and the general public, and to maintain our services to all of our clients during this period of uncertainty.
If you have any operational concerns or wish to discuss specific requirements during the virus period please do not hesitate to contact either your Property Manager or a member of the senior management team.
Agency Action Plan.
In light of the recent COVID-19 virus outbreak, we are implementing some additional precautions to safeguard the health and safety of all employees and visitors to our premises and maintain the continued supply of staffing solutions and services to all of our clients.
Main Office Guidelines:
- Although the office is nominally open, we will keep the office shut to visitors for the foreseeable future. The front door will be locked and people must knock or telephone the main office should they wish to speak to a member of the team. Pace staff can then go outside to meet people but will maintain a minimum 2m distance.
- Office based staff must not change desks.
- Cleaning rota increased.
- Hand sanitiser and floor standing dispenser available at all times.
- Pocket sanitiser to be provided for all on site visits including empty properties.
- Although the government guidance is not yet that everyone should wear masks, Pace staff must carry a mask when on company business and wear it when possible.
- Staff have been advised on best practise relating to the use of shared spaces, including food preparation areas and meeting rooms as well as use of company vehicles.
- All office door handles and door jambs will be disinfected every morning.
- We will not distribute paper literature, such as leaflets or property particulars.
Lettings & Sales:
- Pace staff must carry hand sanitiser or soap and use it.
- Carry bleach spray/tissues/wipes and disinfect door handles before / after use.
- We will keep physical viewings to a minimum – We will have detailed conversations with people about their personal situation, obtain pre-approval from the landlord and ensure tenants have seen the property photographs.
- We will always stay 2m away from other people and ideally just wait outside unless security of the property is a specific concern.
- We will aim to work constructively with occupying tenants and landlords to facilitate new property viewings, potentially to schedule viewings for when the property is empty.
- We will ask people not to touch anything when viewing a property and to use hand sanitiser at all times. When we arrive, we will enter the property, disinfect door handles and open all the doors to facilitate easy moving around the property.
- We will reconfirm if people we meet for viewings have any Covid-19 symptoms, are in a vulnerable group or are shielding.
- We will not facilitate any block viewings or open house events.
- We will ensure there is a gap of at least 72 hours between someone moving out and the new tenant moving in. We will check if the person moving out has shown any Covid-19 symptoms.
- Valuations will be managed remotely or conducted in an empty property where possible. There is no need to meet the client at the same time.
Property Management & Block Management:
- In-tenancy visits will be staying virtual as standard; there would have to be a strong good reason for it to be done in person, but social distancing guidelines will be followed nonetheless.
- Block visits to communal areas should only be done if required (safety) and delayed if non-essential
- All property maintenance work will resume as long as the occupant is willing to let someone in
- Electrical safeties, EPCs, Gas safety certificates are still a legal requirement – there has been no extension to the legislation. If we cannot get in for a safety check because the occupant is shielding/unwell, we will document the attempt and come back to later.
- We will leave all properties for 3 days before carrying out a tenant checkout. If the tenant has been unwell with Covid-19, we will leave it 5 working days before carrying out a checkout.
General Rules:
- Accepting parcels and post: We ask all delivery drivers to leave parcels on the floor so there is no direct contact. We will spray parcels with disinfectant and wash our hands afterwards.
- Keys will be handed to maintenance contractors indirectly. Keys must be disinfected.
Official Covid-19 symptoms:
- Either a new persistent cough OR
- A high temperature (doesn’t actually have to be a fever, just higher than normal. Your normal body temperature is approximately 37C. A fever is usually when your body temperature is 37.8C or higher. You may feel warm, cold or shivery. As a general rule, in children a temperature of over 37.5C (99.5F) is a fever. OR
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.
If any member of staff has symptoms, they should not come to the office or leave the house on company business. They must let your line manager know and arrange a Covid-19 test as soon as possible. Further advice on isolating here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/what-to-do-if-you-or-…
Staff having tested positive should continue working from home even if not feeling ill. They will receive sick pay at least in line with your contract if you cannot work.
The Pace senior Management team will continue to monitor and evaluate the information we receive on a daily basis and adapt our plan appropriately.
Last Updated 10th July 2020.
