Looking after our clients and our team
In line with the latest government guidance, Allcott Associates remains open for business. We are keeping abreast of the latest advice. To our knowledge, the home moving process will remain open during the January lockdown. Therefore, physical building surveys will continue to be undertaken where it is safe to do so, but at the same time respecting the position of individual property occupiers. We will be unable to carry out building surveys in properties in which anyone is extremely clinically vulnerable or shielding.
We are dedicated to looking after our clients, both by continuing to provide an excellent surveying service and by taking precautions to minimise the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
We are committed to protecting the health of our clients and our team. Our coronavirus surveying mitigation measures that we have put in place are designed to minimise the risk of spreading the virus. We are following the government advice on working in other people’s homes in addition to carrying out our own risk assessments to ensure that we can safely survey properties at the current COVID alert level.
Before your survey
- At the time of booking, you will be asked if anyone at the inspection property is self-isolating or has any symptoms associated with coronavirus (a fever, a new & persistent cough or flu-like symptoms) or has been asked to shield (i.e. those who are clinically extremely vulnerable).
- If anyone is isolating or shielding, your survey will be postponed to a later date.
- You will also be asked if anyone in the property is over 70 or in a high-risk group.
- In these cases, individual risks will be discussed and measures to mitigate risks will be agreed. These could include vacating the property for the duration of the internal part of the survey, discussing how to avoid close contact with the surveyor if vacating the property is not possible, and making sure all parties have a thorough understanding of what the survey involves and what precautions the surveyor will take.
- Our staff are self-monitoring daily for any signs or symptoms of coronavirus and will isolate immediately if they have any concerns. In this case, surveys will be rearranged with an alternative surveyor whenever possible, or postponed to a later date.
During your survey
- Whenever possible, we will ask that properties are vacated for the duration of the survey. The property may be vacant long-term, or could be vacated by the occupiers in line with government guidance.
- If properties cannot be vacated, occupiers must stay at least 2m from the surveyor at all times. The best way to achieve this is by staying in one designated room for the duration of the survey, then leaving that room when the surveyor needs to inspect it.
- The surveyor or booking team will confirm whether anyone who lives at the inspection property is shielding, self-isolating, or has any symptoms associated with coronavirus (a fever, a new & persistent cough or flu-like symptoms).
- If there is deemed to be a risk, the survey will be postponed to a later date.
- When on site, our surveyors maintain strict personal hygiene, using hand sanitisers, gloves, face coverings, wipes and soap & water at regular intervals and before and after touching surfaces. Surfaces that are touched are wiped down afterwards to reduce risk still further.
- We ask that occupiers leave all internal doors open, to minimise the need for surveyors to touch surfaces.
- Our surveyors have been asked to decline handshakes and maintain a distance of at least 2m from others at all times.
After your survey
- We regret that we have had to impose a strict policy of no face-to-face meetings. This means that we may suggest a phone call or web-based meeting to discuss survey findings, rather than meeting you on site.
We are continuing to monitor the situation and our policy will be updated in line with government recommendations. Any changes will be posted here.
If you have any questions at all about how we will minimise risk during your survey, or if you have any concerns or suggestions please do give us a call or email us at info@allcottassociates.co.uk.