SCHEDULED REOPENING OF OUR OFFICE OFFICE DURING COVID 19
As per the new government developments as of 13th May 2020, we as a business, have absorbed every step of the process over the last 24 hours and are looking for additional Government Guidance for the Estate Agency sector for progression towards the opening of our business following lockdown.

This week we are working on the necessary precautions to be sure our clients and staff are kept as safe as possible, by implementing the use of perspex screens in the office while masks, gels and gloves will be obligatory for staff and clients during viewings and appointments. This will however, take at least the next couple of weeks to implement these safety measures and currently therefore, it is unsafe as a business for us to re-open today.

Our office will therefore remain closed for face to face visits until Monday 1st June. We will commence carrying valuations and accompanied viewings (with restrictions as below) from Wednesday 22nd May 2020 and we are available 5 days a week for enquiries, as we have been throughout lockdown.

We are currently also working towards a safe solution for progression in OCCUPIED viewings and this will certainly be a process which will take longer to adopt. At this stage, we will not be doing so until it is safe enough for clients and staff and we await the government going ahead for families to integrate back together.

For our clients and staff safety, we need to implement several temporary but very safe changes that must be adhere to, these include:-

Limiting the amount of viewings we can attend.

Initially encouraging clients to view properties virtually in the first instance and then only in person, if they have a strong and declared interest.

Avoiding viewings arranged at peak times (between 9-10am and 4-6pm).

Checking prior to any appointments made, if any party has had Covid-19 or shown symptoms, are shielding or clinically vulnerable or currently self isolating.

Using a strict appointment system for visits to our office and conducting viewings.

We are unable to carry out open house viewings

Fully qualifying clients so those with appointments made, are able to proceed without a sale of their own property. This is for safety to clients in other households and cross contamination. The buyer must prove they are in a position to go ahead to make a viewing and checks will be made with their agents/solicitors for chain details where necessary. Clients with properties to sell that are not yet sold and require these to proceed, will be shown around once they are in a position to make an offer and proceed. We must stress, this is a temporary measure for the safety and reduction in people viewing properties.

Prior to any viewing or appointment made, we will supply each client with all the necessary property information by email.

Only one person/buyer to be permitted per viewing alone - no third parties will be able to accompany the visit and as per the government's guidelines and current restrictions with social integration. This includes builders, surveyors, other family members or friends etc., who currently are not permitted to integrate with people from a different household.

Only people with an appointment may visit at the time indicated and only when with a mask, gloves and hydo-alcoholic gel. Our agents will be obliged to refuse the visit if failure to comply.

The buyer will travel to the property in their own car.

No paper documents will be transmitted during the visit.

To make the visit easier, all doors and windows will be open where possible to avoid the necessity of touching handles. Please also avoid touching anything else in the house. Ask the Agent if you have any queries or wish to see how something works.

Respect social distancing measures put in place.

As we await for sector guidance, please be assured we are making appropriate plans to bring our business out of lockdown, however with Leapfrog being a small team of only three staff and our main office having always being based at our Directors home, we will only do so safely and with adequate measures put in place, which include social distancing. Safety of our clients and staff is paramount and therefore we ask to please bear with us, whilst these new changes are made.