Question: As a developer can I continue home sales during the coronavirus outbreak and should I take safety precautions?

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
section_headers: Advice to industry
Developers and new build sales
section_content: Developers can continue with sales during this period but should ensure that
their sales teams follow the government’s safer working
guidance. Developers should inform consumers and their own staff about their
procedures, so that they are safe throughout the sales process.

Where possible, developers should promote virtual viewings.
Where physical viewings do take place, including visits to show homes, these should be by appointment with one household visiting one property at a time.
Developers should clean surfaces between viewings.
For new reservations and contracts, developers should work with conveyancers to ensure contracts take account of the risks posed by coronavirus, including building in flexibility in case move dates need to change as a result of someone falling ill with coronavirus or needing to self-isolate.
Developers should do what they can to support anyone with coronavirus symptoms or self-isolating, and those they are in chain with, to agree a new date.


Reviewer feedback on this answer:
Clearly answers question in first sentence and has detailed information about safe house sales during the pandemic.
This answer relates to the demographic and answers the question thoroughly and straight forwardly.

Reviewer ratings:
Excellent
Excellent

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
section_headers: Advice to industry
Estate agents
section_content: Estate agents can open for business but should consider how and when to reopen
their premises given government guidance on safer
working. Estate agents should inform customers and their own staff about
their procedures, so that they are safe throughout the sales process.

Agents should ask whether any party is showing symptoms or has been asked to self-isolate before going ahead with any viewing, or visits to offices.
Agents should operate using an appointment system for visits to their offices and when conducting viewings.
Agents should not carry out any open house viewings.
Agents should strongly encourage clients to view properties virtually in the first instance and then only physically inspect properties which they have a strong interest in.
Agents can accompany physical viewings and seek to maintain a minimum of 2 metres distance from others wherever possible. Where social distancing is not possible and the visit is within an enclosed space, they should consider wearing a face covering in line with government guidance.
Where they do not accompany the visit, they should make sure that both buyers and sellers clearly understand how the viewing should be conducted safely.
Agents should not drive clients to appointments.
All parties viewing a property should wash their hands with soap and water (or hand sanitiser if not available) immediately after entering the properties, with internal doors opened and surfaces having been wiped down before they enter. Separate towels or paper towels should be used if possible and washed or disposed of safely after use.
Agents should do what they can to promote flexibility when arranging move dates, for example advising clients to ensure contracts have explicit terms to manage the timing risks presented by coronavirus.
Agents should work with their clients and other agents to broker a new date to move where sales are due to complete and one of the parties falls ill with coronavirus or has to self-isolate.
Agents should ensure that any keys are appropriately cleaned before handover.


Reviewer feedback on this answer:
Has detailed information about how to safely sell houses during the pandemic.
This answer only relates to real estate agents, not to developers, so this answer does not answer the question.

Reviewer ratings:
Excellent
Bad

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
section_headers: Advice to the public
3. Making offers or reservations
section_content: More detail on progressing the individual elements of the home buying and
selling or rental process and how this applies to different groups is set out
in the next section.
You are free to make or accept an offer or reserve a property as normal.

There is a greater risk that parties may need to delay their move because someone is showing symptoms of coronavirus or self-isolating. Where needed your legal adviser should advise you and help make sure that any contracts or agreements are as flexible as possible to accommodate this risk.
Prospective purchasers may wish to visit a property again once they have agreed a sale, for example to measure up. Where this has been agreed to, the above advice on prioritising virtual visits, hygiene measures, maintaining social distancing at all times and mitigating contact where possible should be followed.
Purchasers may also want to send in tradespeople to carry out inspections. Where possible these should be scheduled with one person visiting the property at any time. No tradespeople should enter a property where a member of the household is showing symptoms of coronavirus or self-isolating. Where a tradesperson is visiting the property, the occupier should maintain social distancing, wash their hands regularly and minimise contact as far as possible, for example by staying in another room. These visits should be carried out in line with government safer working guidance.


Reviewer feedback on this answer:
Has fairly detailed information about safely selling homes during the pandemic.
This answer does not relate specifically to developers and thus the advice is not relevant.

Reviewer ratings:
Excellent
Bad