Home » News » Agents must soon wear masks in their branches or break law
Regulation & Law

Agents must soon wear masks in their branches or break law

Ministers confirm retail rules, announced by Boris Johnson, will apply to estate agency offices too, once the legislation is passed.

masks

The government has confirmed that estate agents will have to wear masks while working in their branches as soon as the legislation goes live, possibly later this week.

Following Boris Johnson’s speech today in parliament during which the announced a tightening of Covid measures to prevent a second wave of the pandemic, Propertymark says it has received confirmation that the new regulations covering retail businesses will include agents.

“We have asked MHCLG how the Prime Minister’s announcement about face masks for those in retail will impact agents and have been told that agents will be expected to wear masks while working in their high street offices,” says Mark Hayward, Chief Executive of NAEA Propetymark (left).

“Legislation will be brought in to this effect shortly and we advise agents must adopt this measure to both protect themselves and their clients.”

Most agents The Negotiator has spoken to revealed a grudging acceptance of the new rules, even though it is likely to make working in branches more difficult.

Link to Staff Training feature“As an industry that deals with the public, we need to ensure we are taking all necessary precautions to keep both our customers and staff members safe,” says Paul Ofley (left), head of compliance at The Guild.

“We have provided [our] members with all the tools they need to carry out both virtual viewings and valuations if they can work from home, as well as a six-point guide to work safely.”

 

September 22, 2020

2 comments

  1. Whereas I totally support measures to keep us all safe, how on earth are we expected to talk on the phone with a mask on?

  2. Does this mean, that even with screens on desk my staff would still have to wear masks?

What's your opinion?

Please note: This is a site for professional discussion. Comments will carry your full name and company.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.