Question: Can real estate agents still practice?

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:
Answer is given in the affirmative right away and there is a long list of guidelines for real estate agents to follow in order to mitigate COVID-19 spread.
This is a direct answer to the question. This answer provides information on whether or not real estate agents can open for business during the pandemic and what precautions they have to take when reopening their premises.

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 the public
1. Preparing to buy, sell or move home
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 can put your home on the market and start to look for properties you want
to move into. If any member of the household being viewed is showing symptoms
or is self-isolating then estate agents should not physically visit the
property.

You can begin to market your home and estate agents are able to visit in order to take photos/videos of the property.
To help prevent the spread of infection, we encourage people to do the majority of their property searching online; for example only physically viewing those properties which you believe you are most likely to want to move into.
As usual, you can also start to bring together the documentation necessary to sell your property (more information on these documents is available in the government’s guidance on how to sell homes).
If you wish to buy a new build property you should make contact with the developer in the usual way. You should be able to view the show home or visit the particular plot you are interested in purchasing, although there will be appointment systems in place.


Reviewer feedback on this answer:
There is a mention that estate agents are able to visit a property that has been put on the market to make photos/videos of it so it can be inferred that real estate agents can still "practice", but this answer is geared towards actual homeowners and not real estate agents.
This answer contains information for property owners who wish to sell their home or buy new property during the pandemic and does not provide any information on whether or not real estate agents can still practice during the pandemic.

Reviewer ratings:
Could be Improved
Bad

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
section_headers: Advice to industry
Letting agents and private landlords
section_content: Tenants’ safety should be letting agents’ and landlords’ first priority. The
government has put in place protections for tenants during the coronavirus
outbreak, including legislation to delay when landlords are able to start
proceedings to evict tenants. This means until 30 September 2020, most
landlords will not be able to start possession proceedings unless they have
given their tenants three-months’ notice.
This guidance for landlords and letting agents is to help them safely let
empty properties, or properties which tenants are voluntarily vacating. While
broader measures to protect tenants during the coronavirus outbreak remain in
place, letting agents and landlords should endeavour to avoid ending tenancies
where the tenant wants and is able to stay.
Letting agents and landlords should be aware of and follow government
guidance on coronavirus and
renting, which explains these
protections in greater detail, and make sure tenants are aware of this
guidance.

Private landlords and letting agents should not conduct viewings in properties where tenants are symptomatic or self-isolating, or where it has been determined that they are clinically extremely vulnerable and are shielding.
In other cases, where viewings can proceed, they should be conducted in line with the guidance on viewings earlier in this document.
Any visits to a property must be made in accordance with government’s guidelines on working in other people’s homes and social distancing.
If possible, necessary repairs, gas and electrical safety checks should be conducted in the period between a property being vacated and a new tenant moving in. If this is not possible and visits are needed to an occupied property, this should be done by appointment with measures put in place to ensure physical contact is minimised, for example with residents staying in another room during the visit.
Landlords should make every effort to abide by gas and electrical safety requirements, which continue to be of great importance for tenants’ safety. This may be more difficult due to restrictions associated with the coronavirus outbreak, for example where a tenant has coronavirus symptoms, is self-isolating or shielding. Under such circumstances, provided the landlord can demonstrate they have taken reasonable steps to comply, they would not be in breach. See further Health and Safety Executive guidance on how to deal with specific circumstances. Letting agents may also want to consider obtaining landlord and tenant consent for inventory clerk appointments to also occur before a tenant moves in or after a tenant moves out during vacant periods if possible.
Letting agents and landlords should take steps to ensure any properties are prepared ready for new tenants, this may include cleaning to minimise any potential spread of the virus in line with government advice.
Letting agents and landlords should consider how best to conduct tenancy check-ins for new tenancies agreed while broader measures remain in place, taking care to follow government advice on social distancing to minimise possible spread of coronavirus.
Letting agents and landlords are reminded of the temporary COVID-19 measures that adjust right to rent checks, temporarily allowing these checks to be conducted remotely. Lettings agents and landlords should consider other areas where in person payments, referencing or checks can be conducted remotely instead and take further advice if required.


Reviewer feedback on this answer:
Answer concerns itself with letting agents, landlords, and tenants which all deal with renting for the most part as opposed to real estate agents who are more preoccupied with actual sales of living places.
This information does not answer the question. This answer provides information on tenants' protection during Covid-19 and safety guidance for tenants, letting agents and private landlords. It does not contain any information on whether or not real estate agents can practice during the pandemic as asked in the question.

Reviewer ratings:
Bad
Bad