Respecting your Health and the health of others

Our work revolves around inspecting homes.  Inevitably, we encounter homeowners, their family and friends and other members of the public, on a daily basis.  We are mindful of concerns regarding Covid-19 and would like to reassure you that we are committed to the health and safety of everyone we encounter.

What precautions have we implemented?

We have now switched to a home-based working arrangement along with a Covid secure office. In the current environment, and until further notice, all our office meetings are now held online. This means there is now no risk of virus spread within our organisation.

Subject to availability, all our surveyors carry masks, hand sanitisers, gloves as well as hand soap and towels which will be used immediately prior to and following departure from your home.

We currently have an empty house policy (where at all possible) otherwise observance of the 2 metre social distancing rule is requested, at all times.

In the event that a member of our team (or someone they live with) displays symptoms of Covid-19, they will self-isolate, as described in the latest advice.

In the event that an appointment has been made to inspect a home, and prior to the inspection, if the surveyor displays potential Covid-19 symptoms, we will cancel the appointment.  Every attempt will be made to rearrange the inspection by another surveyor for the same time or for the nearest available slot.  In such circumstances, a delay in the process is likely to arise.

We would like to cause as little inconvenience as possible to occupants of the properties we inspect whilst also ensuring that we do all we can to protect all parties from our Covid-19 protocols.

If possible and practical, and in order to protect both the occupants and the surveyor as well as the wider public, we would request that:

• Ideally no one is present during the inspection, but that someone remains contactable through their mobile or their agent in case there are questions we would like to ask about the property

OR

• The occupant stays in a room separate from the surveyor for the duration of the inspection, and at other times a distance of at least 3 metres is maintained.

We also request that you ensure that you leave all internal doors open, curtains open and wipe clean the handles of external doors.  Please allow access to hand washing facilities, where possible.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do call 01353 661222.  Thank you for your assistance and we wish everyone good health in these challenging times.

The policy as outlined above has been based upon RICS recommendations on physical inspections for the purpose of residential valuations and the Government guidance for professionals working on other people’s homes.

Finally, our requests:

Prior to our inspection, we kindly request a response to the following questions put to occupants of the homes we are instructed to inspect, regardless of whether the person will be present during the inspection:

Questions 1

Are you or any of the occupants in an ‘at risk category’ as outlined by the government?

(All and any responses will be treated with full respect of Data Protection Legislation).

Question 2

Are you or any of the occupants in your household symptomatic?

Question 3

Have you or anyone in the household tested positive for Covid-19?

Question 4

Have you or anyone in your household been self-isolating in accordance with government and RICS guidelines?

Question 5

Do you consent to our surveyor undertaking the required inspection on the basis of adherence to our health and safety procedures being followed – as set out above?

Dated

N.B. We kindly request that you either scan/photograph and email these signed/completed pages to admin@martinandmortimer.co.uk or post to Martin and Mortimer Limited, Bedford House, 26a St Mary’s Street, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 4ES. We must receive your response to this questionnaire prior to undertaking the survey.