Here at Prospect, we are committed to keeping you safe. That’s why we are continuing to take the following measures to protect our clients and staff from COVID-19.

Working from home

With the exception of our front-office staff, the majority of our workforce are continuing to work from home on a full-time basis. All employees are set up to work from home so that in the event of a positive COVID case, we’re able to continue business as usual from home to reduce infection. Regular testing

Our front-office staff are continuing to test regularly for COVID-19. Any employees with symptoms or a positive text result are instructed to work from home for at least seven days or until they receive a negative test result.

Mask policy

When booking a face-to-face appointment, valuation, or viewing, please inform your agent if you would like for them to wear PPE. If you are selling or renting, you may also wish for PPE to be worn by all viewers attending your property, which your agent will be happy to implement.

Office fogging

Our offices are fogged with medical-grade antibacterial solution on a regular basis.

Virtual valuations and viewings

We are still offering virtual valuations and viewings to continue ‘business as usual’ while clients or employees are isolating or if you wish to minimise contact.

If you have any queries or concerns please do not hesitate to contact your local office and we would be more than happy to accommodate you. Ready to get your property on the market? Book a valuation today.

From Thursday 27th January, Plan B COVID restrictions are said to be lifted across England. This means that it will no longer be necessary to work from home or wear a face covering in public areas.

In light of this news, we would like to reassure our clients that as a company, we will be remaining cautious. Thanks to the work of our fantastic IT team form the very beginning of the pandemic, the vast majority of our support staff are equipped with the tools they need to work from home and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Our front office staff will remain vigilant by keeping a sensible distance, testing regularly, and wearing face coverings when meeting clients in office and on viewings and valuations. We are also having our offices regularly fogged to dramatically reduce the risk of infection.

We are thrilled to see that the end is in sight and are hopeful that the months ahead will be free from restrictions. However, we feel it would be prudent to continue with the safety measures that we have become accustomed to, just to be on the safe side. We’ll be keeping our masks on and our fingers crossed for a year unhampered by COVID restrictions!

As restrictions tighten amid concerns about the Omicron variant, we wanted to give a further update on how these new rulings will impact our processes.

It is now mandatory to wear a mask in most public venues, meaning that masks must be worn when entering our offices. We would also encourage our clients to wear masks on viewings and valuations unless exempt, as our staff will be wearing full PPE for all appointments.

It has also been announced that from Monday 13th December, employees should work from home if they can. With the exception of front office staff, all of our employees have been working from home since March 2020 and will of course continue to do so.

We would like to reassure everyone that we are doing everything we can keep our clients, staff, and families safe over the festive period. Our staff are testing regularly, sanitising regularly, and maintaining a safe distance to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

We kindly ask that our clients comply with mask regulations and do not enter our offices or attend appointments if you feel unwell or have tested positive for COVID-19.

Let’s stop the spread and protect our Christmas together.

In light of Boris Johnson’s latest announcement regarding the tightening of restrictions amid fears about the Omicron variant, we would like to reassure everyone that we are doing everything we can to keep our clients, staff, and families safe.

As of Tuesday, it will be compulsory for face coverings to be worn in shops and on public transport. We therefore ask for all visitors to wear face coverings when entering any of our offices. Our front office staff will wear face coverings to greet you.

We will also be wearing PPE on all viewings and appointments and would encourage our clients to do the same. We are continuing to offer online valuations and virtual viewings, should you prefer to avoid personal contact.

Of course, our staff are continuing to regularly sanitise, maintain a safe distance, take regular lateral flow tests, and work from home where possible or where necessary, in the event of a positive test or the onset of symptoms. Our office will also be fogged on a weekly basis to maintain a safe and clean environment.

We ask that our clients respect and follow our new policies. If you are experiencing symptoms, however mild, or have tested positive for COVID, please do not attend any viewings, appointments, or enter our office.

Let’s do all we can to keep each other safe this festive period.

As we move into ‘Step 4’ of the roadmap towards further relaxation of lockdown policies, the Government has updated its guidance for agents, landlords and tenants in the current climate.

The most significant change is that from 1st August 2021, the notice period for cases where there are less than four months of unpaid rent will further reduce to two months’ notice. Notice periods for the most serious cases, such as antisocial behaviour, domestic abuse and accrued rent arrears to the value of over six months, will be lower with most requiring two to four weeks’ notice. For ‘serious arrears’ equivalent to 4 or more months’ rent, it is four weeks’ notice.

The updated Government guidance was also concerned with COVID safety in the rental sector and further guidance has been offered in regards to ventilation and tenants that are isolating. Landlords and agents are advised to ensure that a supply of fresh air is available in enclosed places where people might gather, and to take necessary steps to improve air flow in poorly ventilated spaces their premises.

Where a household is isolating because one or more tenants have symptoms, no work should be carried out on the property unless it is to remedy a direct safety risk to the tenants or the public. If a tenant is not isolating, but is concerned about the transmission of the virus, the landlord should work with the tenant to help them understand why the work is necessary and schedule a time to carry out work as soon as the tenant feels comfortable to do so.

If you are a landlord or tenant that is impacted by this update, or you have any questions or concerns about the current guidance, please do not hesitate to get in contact with our dedicated property management team.

As national restrictions lift all across England, we wanted to reassure our customers that we are still doing everything we can to keep our clients, staff, and families safe.

Though it is now not compulsory to wear a mask, our agents will continue to wear PPE and sanitise regularly when attending viewings or valuations. We felt this was the best decision for the comfort of our clients and employees moving forward. It will not be mandatory for viewers to wear a mask as well, but we would encourage you to do so.

In addition, we will also continue to maintain social distancing within our offices and those staff members who can work from home will continue to do so.

All employees are taking regular lateral flow tests and we are encouraging all employees to get vaccinated. A large portion of our workforce have now had their first jab.

Let’s continue to be mindful of others and keep each other safe whilst enjoying a bit more normality!

With love, Prospect x

In March 2020, our lives changed forever. Parents became teachers. Masks became essential items. Zoom calls became a daily occurrence and face to face meetings became a thing of the past. While many of us found ourselves working from our front rooms, NHS workers, carers and delivery drivers found themselves working on the frontline.

For many, the past year has been one of great loss. Too many of us have lost loved ones. Too many of us have lost businesses. All of us have lost time.

We will never forget the sacrifices made by NHS workers and the incredible work they have done to keep us safe. Nor will we forget the strength and resilience of members of our local community, who have come together to raise spirits and support their neighbours in times of need.

Monday 17th May marks the next step towards life returning to normal. Prospect wanted to do something special to commemorate this huge milestone in our journey out of lockdown, remember loved ones lost and recognise the key workers who dedicated themselves to getting us through the past 12 months.

Collaborating with local company Willow Bella, we are so excited to brighten up the high street with a spectacular window display at our Head Office in Reading.

There was so much that we wanted to express with our window display, but most important was the transition from darker days to a more hopeful future. Willow Bella captured this perfectly, using recycled surgical masks – a very familiar object to all of us this year – to create a beautiful array of butterflies, in order to symbolise the transformation from the connotations of fear and negativity surrounding the masks to a positive outlook on the freedom they afford us to move towards a more hopeful future. And of course, the display had to be an explosion of colour! With a huge rainbow neon light as well as colourful flowers and foliage, the display references the NHS rainbow colours and reminds us of the brighter days ahead.

Naturally, we couldn’t do a display in Reading without a little nod to the Banksy artwork we saw appear on Reading Gaol earlier this year! Contrasting the beautiful colours is a typewriter hanging on a black and white cord to symbolise prison colours and the feeling of being trapped over lockdown.

Though we are so excited about this incredible display and the joy we hope it will bring to the community, we recognised that there was a more important way to properly thank our local NHS heroes and support our local community. That is why we are immensely proud to announced that we will be donating £1000 to the Royal Berkshire Hospital to say a big thank you for all the work that they do to keep the people of Reading safe and well. We are also donating a further £1000 to the Reading Arts Foundation, to show our support for their fantastic campaign to turn the Reading Gaol into an arts centre – such a worthy cause that it brought Banksy to Reading! The arts are the beating heart of any city, so let us keep Reading’s art centre thriving.

‘Lockdown’ was the official word of 2020. Let’s make ‘hope’ the official word of 2021. If you find yourself in Reading this weekend, come along to witness our incredible shop front firsthand. We are so excited to share it with you all!

Welcome home, from Prospect.

Carla Munro, Property Manager at Prospect, speaks to Robyn Emptage from The Property Maintenance People about the importance of EICRs, the upcoming EICR deadline, and how PMP Approved contractors are operating under COVID restrictions. They also discuss what it means to be PMP Approved.

Have you got an Electrical Installation Compliance Report on all your properties? The 1st April deadline is fast approaching, and you could face a £30,000 fine for non-compliance.

If you haven’t already, it is imperative that you book in your EICR with the Property Maintenance People today. Click here to get a quote for your EICR.

Chloe Hoptroff, Property Manager at Prospect, speaks to Sarah Goddard, director of EZ Property Reports, about the importance of having thorough inventory reports on all of your rental properties. They talk about the benefits of having an independent party carry out the reports, the difference between an inventory and a check in report, and the safety measures that EZ are taking to continue to operate safely over national restrictions.

Prospect have worked with EZ for 12 years and value their meticulous approach to property reporting. Do you have an inventory report on your property? Click here to get in touch with EZ Property reports and book yours today.

With lots of legislation changes in the rental sector happening this year, Head of Property Management and Lettings Accounts Manager Joanne Kay talks us through the important legislation dates coming up and gives us an update on how the Property Management team are operating safely in lockdown.

As Joanne explains, we will continue to carry out property inspections, checkout reports and property maintenance in line with government guidelines and operating under strict safety restrictions to keep our tenants, landlords and staff safe.

From the EICR deadline to increased notice periods and changes to right to rent, there’s a lot for landlords to prepare for. Our Property Managers are working hard at home to keep you safe and compliant, and will always be on the other end of the phone if you have any concerns or queries.

Shaun Stevens, director of Prospect Homes of Distinction (PhD), Land and New Homes clears up some Stamp Duty questions in the wake of the parliamentary debate over the Stamp Duty Holiday deadline. As we continue to drive more and more transactions towards completion ahead of the original deadline, we wait in anticipation for a government update and are keeping everything crossed for some kind of extension!

If you have any further queries about the Stamp Duty Holiday, please do not hesitate to get in contact with your local branch today, and we will be more than happy to talk through your concerns.

In this month’s letting update Mark Towell, our Managing Director with over 20 years experience in the property industry, speaks to our Head of Lettings and Acquisitions, Michael Gallagher, about everything happening in the current lettings market.

From what properties investors need to be on the lookout for and how tenants can make sure they’re top of the list for new listings in this busy market – this video is a must watch for everybody involved or interested in lettings.

For more advice on letting or renting a property during COVID-19, contact our lettings team today.

Hi I’m Mark Towell from Prospect Estate Agency. I just wanted to share with you an update and overview of our own action plans and initiatives for what we are doing to keep our clients and staff safe during the current lockdown.

We have minimised the number of staff working out of our offices, and they are all adapting to the two metre rule. Of course, we have ensured that all of our employees have been supplied with the relevant PPE equipment so that they can continue regularly sanitising and using face masks, gloves, and the other necessary tools to continue doing business.

Our use of video is currently at the best we’ve ever seen before. Most importantly, it’s at its best since the start of the COVID pandemic. The feedback that we are getting from our clients is that the property videos really are useful, and it is great that in the event that we do have to meet face to face for a viewing or valuation, most of the work has been done prior to the meeting over video.

Our Heads of Departments will keep you updated via video on relevant items such as the stamp duty holiday coming to an end on the 31st March 2021; the EICR reports that need to have been completed on every property come 1st April 2021; and the latest legislation on eviction notices, which is ever changing and confusing to even those of us in the industry!

Like many parents at the moment, including myself, home schooling alongside working is becoming a part of day to day life. We are three weeks in, so give yourselves all a big pat on the back! You are all doing an outstanding job.

We’ve created a Home Schooling Page on Facebook to support all the parents in our local community who are having to home school their children. We have two lovely ladies who are actively working on there, answering questions and sharing ideas, hints and tips to support you as parents at home. We are also really lucky to have our IT company offering any IT related issues, support and tips to help you at home should you need it.

We’re really proud of this. We think it is something really positive within the community and we’ve seen what a lot of other estate agents have done as well, which we think is commendable for the industry – especially considering we were once the third most disliked industry in the country! It’s great to see us all coming together and trying to help the community in this period of uncertainty and concern.

I wish you all well, be safe, and I look forward to working together in the future.

Following the latest COVID update from the government, we would like to reassure our customers of the actions we are taking to ensure that we keep you moving safely.

Viewings and valuations will continue to operate under strict safety measures, including:

• Thorough sanitisation of surfaces and door handles before and after viewings
• Only one household per viewing
• Socially distanced and minimal contact viewings and valuations
• Staff wear full PPE throughout the duration of property visits
• Staff and viewers to sanitise thoroughly before and after entering the property
• Office visits by appointment only
• Face to face meetings kept to a minimum
• Video tours available for most of our properties to minimise number of in-person viewings

Please remember that we also offer virtual viewings and valuations, so even if you do not feel comfortable meeting in-person, we can still help you sell your home or secure your dream property over video call.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns or queries.

Government guidelines state that people can still view, buy, rent, sell and move house during the current lockdown. Though we are very thankful to be able to keep you moving under these exceptional circumstances, the safety and comfort of our customers, staff and the local community will always be our biggest priority.

We are operating under strict safety procedures and ask that our clients also read and adhere to the Government procedures for moving home during lockdown. These include:

• DO NOT attend a viewing or visit our offices if you, or any party in your household, is showing symptoms or has been asked to self-isolate.
• If you have recently returned to the UK from one of the countries on the quarantine list, we will continue to progress your home move virtually until your quarantine period is over.
• Where possible, we ask clients to call or email us instead of visiting our offices. If an office visit is essential, visitors must wear face coverings, unless exempt.
• Our agents will wear face coverings while in close face-to-face contact with clients, in both our offices and whilst on viewing or valuation appointments.
• All properties have video tours available and we strongly encourage clients to view properties virtually in the first instance, only physically viewing properties which they have a strong interest in.
• We will be unable to offer transport to any viewings, clients must meet our agent at the property.
• We will sanitise all surfaces and handles of a property before and after any viewing.
• Clients viewing a property must not touch any surfaces.

To keep up to date with everything we’re doing to keep you and our staff safe, visit our dedicate Covid-19 page by clicking here. If you’d like to speak with an agent and start your move safely, click here.

Despite the recent announcement of a third national lockdown, government guidelines state that people can still view, buy, rent, sell and move house.

Though we are very thankful to be able to keep you moving under these exceptional circumstances, the safety and comfort of our customers, staff and the local community will always be our biggest priority. We will therefore be operating under strict safety measures which will constantly be under review.

These measures include:

• Safety bubbles for all staff – allowing no other physical contact with anyone in the company outside of their bubble
• Face masks/plastic visors worn by all staff whilst in the office
• Offices are open strictly by appointment only
• NHS track and trace unique QR codes implemented for all of our offices
• Video tours and live virtual viewings available for almost all of our properties
• Virtual valuations and minimal contact valuation available for all sellers and landlords
• Individual staff safety packs including clear face masks, hand sanitiser and gloves which must be used for all necessary face to face appointments
• Pre and post viewing property sanitising of all surfaces / handles
• Strict ‘no touching’ policy for clients on all viewings
• Sanitiser stations at the entrances to all offices
• Perspex safety screens providing safe workstations for our staff
• Where possible, our staff are working from home
• Bi-weekly fogging of our offices and daily sanitising of all worksurfaces
• All office and home workers equipped with new video conference software, enabling clients to ‘see’ us whenever they need
• All company meetings are now conducted virtually

We want to find you your dream home in the safest way possible, and are always looking for ways to improve. If you have any questions, queries or feedback or suggestions, please get in touch at marketing@prospect.co.uk– we’d love to hear from you.

Keeping you safe, keeping you moving

It has now been confirmed that when the second lockdown ends on 2nd December, most of the country will be placed under Tier 2 restrictions.

Tier 2 is classified as ‘High Risk’ and means there will be still strict social distancing rules and restrictions when meeting friends/family who are not in your ‘bubble’. Under the new restrictions, shops and retail units will be able to open again – which is a welcome relief to our wonderful local business owners and Christmas shoppers.

We have been thankful to continue to operate during the second lockdown and with buyers and sellers still rushing to take advantage of the stamp duty savings, we have had our busiest November on record!

Whilst we are extremely busy, everyone’s safety is of the upmost importance to us and we’ve implemented lots of safety measures across our business. These include:

• Virtual valuations and minimal contact valuation available for all sellers and landlords
• Video tours and live virtual viewings available for almost all of our properties
• Individual safety packs including clear face masks, hand sanitiser and gloves for all necessary face to face appointments
• Strict ‘no touching’ policy on all physical viewings
• Pre and post viewing property sanitising of all surfaces / handles
• All office and home workers equipped with new video conference software, enabling you to ‘see’ us whenever you need
• NHS track and trace unique QR codes in our offices
• Bi-weekly fogging of our offices and daily sanitising of all worksurfaces
• Offices are open strictly by appointment only
• Face masks/plastic visors worn by staff whilst in an office
• Perspex safety screens providing safe workstations for our staff
• Sanitiser stations at the entrances to all offices
• Safety bubbles for all staff – allowing no other physical contact with anyone in the company outside of their bubble
• Where possible, our staff are working from home
• All company meetings are now conducted virtually

If you’re thinking of moving, we would love to help you. Whether buying, selling, letting or renting – we’ve got a team of experts on hand to safely help you through your property journey.

You can find the number for your local Prospect office by clicking here.

As always, your feedback means a lot to us. If you have any suggestions on what else we can do to help protect everyone, please get in touch. Send your suggestions to marketing@prospect.co.uk.

“Celebrating 30yrs with the biggest global challenge ever seen in our lifetime”

Keeping you safe, keeping you moving

We’re already two weeks into what has been estimated as a four week lockdown and the property market is still extremely busy.

Whilst thankful we are still allowed to operate; we are following strict safety measures across our business to ensure everyone’s safety. These include:

• Safety bubbles for all staff – allowing no other physical contact with anyone in the company outside of their bubble
• Face masks/plastic visors worn by all staff whilst in the office
• Offices are open strictly by appointment only
• NHS track and trace unique QR codes implemented for all of our offices
• Video tours and live virtual viewings available for almost all of our properties
• Virtual valuations and minimal contact valuation available for all sellers and landlords
• Individual staff safety packs including clear face masks, hand sanitiser and gloves which must be used for all necessary face to face appointments
• Pre and post viewing property sanitising of all surfaces / handles
• Strict ‘no touching’ policy for clients on all viewings
• Sanitiser stations at the entrances to all offices
• Perspex safety screens providing safe workstations for our staff
• Where possible, our staff are working from home
• Bi-weekly fogging of our offices and daily sanitising of all worksurfaces
• All office and home workers equipped with new video conference software, enabling clients to ‘see’ us whenever they need
• All company meetings are now conducted virtually

As always, your feedback means a lot to us. If you have any suggestions on what else we can do to help protect everyone, please get in touch. Send your suggestions to marketing@prospect.co.uk

“Celebrating 30yrs with the biggest global challenge ever seen in our lifetime”

Following Boris Johnson’s announcement of a second lockdown on Saturday, the property market appears to be set to stay open.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government tweeted on Sunday that the property market will be able to continue to operate, contingent on maximum compliance on social distancing and thorough use of PPE.

Whilst this has since been quoted in industry press, we are yet to receive full confirmation of this and Government guidance on operation guidelines for the next month.

We take your and our staff’s safety extremely importantly and are continuing to operate under strict safety guidelines. We will be doing everything we can in the coming weeks of lockdown to ensure property transactions continue to progress and our client’s property goals become a reality.

For anyone just starting their search, we can still help you find a home to let or buy. Using the latest video technology, you can virtually view most of our properties and, where necessary, we are able to conduct covid secure, ‘no contact viewings’.

As we await further guidance in the next few days, we will continue to update you with what steps we’re taking to keep you and our staff safe.

The country has once again been warned to stay home and help stop the spread of Covid-19. With a 10pm curfew in for pubs and restaurants and the country being urged to work from home if they can, we find ourselves on the edge of uncertainty.

We take our staff and clients safety extremely important and have been following strict new safety policies since we could open our doors again a few months ago.

With the R rate still increasing and following the new guidelines announced this week, we have today implemented even more new safety measures within our business. These include:

• All staff now working in Safety Bubbles and will have no other physical contact with anyone outside their bubble
• Bubbles working on a bi-weekly rote within offices
• Face masks will always be worn by staff in our offices
• Our offices are now open to visitors strictly by appointment only
• All visitors to our offices must check in using our dedicated QR code for Track and Trace
• Bi-weekly fogging, weekly deep cleans and daily sanitising of all surfaces in our offices
• Video tours and live virtual viewings available for all properties
• Virtual valuations and minimal contact valuations available for sellers and landlords
• Individual safety packs including clear face masks, hand sanitiser and gloves for all necessary face to face appointments
• New facemasks with perplex supplied to all staff
• Mandatory for all staff to wear PPE on any necessary viewing or valuation appointments
• Pre and post viewing property sanitising of all surfaces / handles
• Strict ‘no touching’ rule for clients on all viewings
• Sanitiser stations at all office entrances
• Perspex safety screens providing safe workstations for our staff
• Where possible, our staff working from home
• All office and home workers equipped with new video conference software, enabling clients to ‘see’ us whenever they need
• All company meetings are now conducted virtually
• All valuation staff provided with iPhone 11s to enhance video tour quality

As always, your feedback means a lot to us. If you have any suggestions on what else we can do to help protect everyone, please get in touch. Send your suggestions to marketing@prospect.co.uk

“Celebrating 30yrs with the biggest global challenge ever seen in our lifetime”

August has been a record-breaking month for the UK property market. In their August House Price Index Rightmove reported that last month was the busiest month of any month on record for the past 10 years. As August is traditionally one of the quietest months in the property market, this is quite an astonishing fact.

People are rushing to move and take advantage of the stamp duty holiday and whilst this is creating an extremely healthy market, we are still living in the midst of a pandemic. Safety must continue to be of the upmost importance.

During lockdown we spent a lot of time preparing our offices, staff and clients for when we opened again. Sanitiser stations at every entrance, Perspex safety screens distancing our staff, regular ‘fogging’ deep cleans of our offices and virtual appointments all almost feel normal now.

With the R rate on the rise again and there being no signs of the market slowing down, we wanted to show you everything we’re doing to keep you and our staff safe.

In the past 6 months, we’ve been busy investing in software and PPE as well as implementing lots of new procedures across our business. This includes;

• Video tours and live virtual viewings available for all properties
• Virtual valuations and minimal contact valuations available for sellers and landlords
• Individual safety packs including clear face masks, hand sanitiser and gloves for all necessary face to face appointments
• New facemasks with perplex
• Mandatory for all staff to wear PPE on any necessary viewing or valuation appointments
• Pre and post viewing property sanitising of all surfaces / handles
• Strict ‘no touching’ rule for clients on all viewings
• Sanitiser stations at all office entrances
• Perspex safety screens providing safe workstations for our staff
• Where possible, our staff working from home
• All office and home workers equipped with new video conference software, enabling clients to ‘see’ us whenever they need
• All company meetings are now conducted virtually
• All valuation staff provided with iPhone 11s to enhance video tour quality
• Bi-weekly fogging, weekly deep cleaners and daily sanitising of all surfaces in our offices

Soon, we will also be introducing a new online booking system. Enabling you to book an exact time with us for a virtual, or face to face, viewing or valuation. All in just a few clicks and without having to leave the house!

If you are not ready to book a viewing or valuation and just want a chat, then that’s no problem either. You will also be able to arrange a video chat with us too.

Of course, if you have had your fill of video calls you can always just give us a call. You can find our numbers here.

As always, your feedback means a lot to us. If you have any suggestions on what else we can do to help protect everyone, please get in touch. Send your suggestions to marketing@prospect.co.uk

“Celebrating 30yrs with the biggest global challenge ever seen in our lifetime”

In March this year, the government introduced emergency legislation suspending all evictions for a period of 3 months. This was later extended in June by a further 2 months to the 23rd August meaning that no eviction hearings would be heard in court until this date. Following pressure on the government by the housing minister to extend the Eviction Ban it is no surprise that today this was further extended by a further 4 weeks to the 20th September. We are keeping a close ear to the ground to ensure we are ready to support you as best as possible.

Whilst it is not possible to bring an eviction case to be heard in court right now, should there be the provision within a tenancy agreement to serve a Section 21 notice either towards the end of a fixed term tenancy or if there is break clause this is still possible, however the notice period here has been extended from 2 to 3 months, this is the case until 30 September 2020.

In line with government guidance, anyone who now enters one of our offices will now be required to wear a face covering. We thank you for your co-operation with this.

While it is not compulsory, our staff will wear relevant PPE, including face coverings and shields when necessary.

We will also be continuing to strictly follow the 1-metre social distancing guidelines at all times and our staff regularly wash their hands and sanitise surfaces and door handles.

Over recent weeks, we have received a large number of questions surrounding Electrical Installation Condition Reports. We have created this video guide to help you understand more.

We have covered a wide range of questions, some of which are listed below:

• What is a EICR?
• Why do I need one?
• When does the legislation come into force?
• What do I need to do to be ready for this change?
• How long does an EICR take?
• Can anyone complete an EICR?

Mark Towell, Managing Director, catches up with Jo Kay our Head of Property Management to discuss what's been happening behind the scenes with all things Property Management during and now after lockdown.

We chat about how our clients have been effected during lockdown and what impact it has really had on the business. Jo also answers your most common questions on Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR) and looks ahead to Q3 and what we expect to happen in the Lettings market.

A relaxed, informative chat to keep you up to date with what's happen with Property Management. If you have any questions you'd like answered, drop us a call on 0118 955 9747

Today the government has announced a stamp duty holiday for all property sales under £500,000 in England and Wales. Here is one of our Directors, Shaun Stevens commenting on the announcement by the Chancellor.

Should you have any questions or should you want to speak to one of our team, please find your local office here.

What a difference a video tour makes…

With stats showing us, since 18th May 2020, that our current viewing to offer ratio has dropped from 1 in 10 (this is deemed as good), is now at 1 in 5.6. These are numbers you would typically see in the lettings sector. We are now 3 weeks into June and the enquiry graph tells its own story. With 9 days of enquiries left, we will surpass that of May and be back inline with February and March 2020 thus giving us a faster than expected bounce back.

The number of clients having valuations has increased but you will note the numbers are less than 20% of the norm, but week on week we are seeing this increase across our offices.

The mortgage markets are providing conflicting stances with regards to loan to value being offered but rest assured what we are seeing is: Money is very cheap to borrow giving buyers the confidence to buy and borrow.

We are now 3 weeks into June and the enquiry graph tells its own story. With 6 days of enquiries left, we will surpass that of May and be back inline with February and March 2020 thus giving us a faster than expected bounce back.

Whilst we have received more tenant enquiries than expected, we are really happy to see that the use of Video Tours is really demonstrating a quality over quantity approach to letting houses. Since the 18th of May, we have seen our viewing to offer ratio drop from 1-5 down to 1-3 and this weekend, we recorded the highest number of offers since March from tenants looking at properties, while adhering to safe social distancing.

We are also really happy to see there are plenty of new instructions coming to the market for let in June. We are seeing the same with tenancies that have had previous tenants in them, showing a really positive bench mark for the sector that people are looking to move again.

This month sees changes to legislation starting as of the 1st of July with the introduction of EICR reports for any newly signed tenancy. We are also very confident that going into Quarter 3 of 2020, this will see a very busy three months ahead and that we will equal the numbers of last year. If you have any questions or are interested in discussing your property with me please feel free to contact me at any point.

Attention Landlords! We have recorded an interview between Jo Kay, our Head of Property Management and our Solicitor David Goddard from Kidd Rapinet. We are very lucky to be able tap into such resources like David and industry bodies such as ARLA for the best possible advice.

Should you have any questions or should you want to speak to David whether you are a tenant or a landlord contact Joanna Kay on jkay@prospect.co.uk.

Over the last several weeks, we have received a lot of questions from buyers, sellers and Investors about what is happening with the mortgage market. Please listen and watch our video from Head of Sales Roberto Contreras and Simon Fenner from Smart Financial answering a lot of the questions that will be relevant to you.

We have created this video to assist you with how our virtual viewings are taking place.

We want you to feel safe when you are dealing with us.

If you have any further questions, contact us here.

Our preference is for you to contact us via Video or Phone but if necessary we are ready and safe.

We have created this video to highlight the safety precautions we are taking in all of our offices.

Following the first full week of estate agency branches opening across the country, we wanted to share some statistics to give you an insight into how we will be closely monitoring the market, enabling us to give the best possible advice to our Landlords and Vendors.

The question is … Has the first week all been a bit B&Q?

What we mean by this, as the image provided shows especially for Residential sales, has there been a lot of pent up demand, like the queues at B&Q a few weeks where people who were happy to stand in line for hours in order to get some compost? The honest answer is, we don’t know and can only share with you what has been a very unexpected level of enquiries coming in and giving a very much needed boost in confidence that business is there to be done, albeit of course, safely and adapting to a ‘New Normal’ way of working.

Over the coming days, weeks and months, in both Sales and Lettings we will be watching the levels of enquiries coming into our branches and how conducting videos tours on properties first can assist in providing better quality viewings. We are already seeing very early signs that there really could be a forever role in this, as long as they be produced and supplied correctly, changing how we deal with enquiries forever.

As challenging as last week was, we are surprisingly excited by the week ahead (not just because it’s another four day week) and look forward to seeing the trend to continue rising to match that of the first quarter of 2020.

Later this week and next, we aim to provide you with market updates and a top tips for Sellers and Landlords on how to work with estate agents safely and create contactless and time effective appointments, whether that be valuations on your own home or creating a viewing that will always be like a second viewing.

Enjoy the superb weather ahead this week and be safe.

I’m sure there is not an Estate Agent in the country that has been able to prepare for what has been a very un-expected 10 days, following the announcement that Estate Agencies across the country could reopen their businesses. It has been truly outstanding, that an Industry which at one point was known as the 3rd most disliked sector in the country, (fingers crossed that is no longer the case) has now really pulled together and acted safely and responsibly in putting the safety of their staff and clients first. We opened our doors on Monday on reduced hours and a skeleton staff in the front office, in order to comply with all social distancing measures and of course staggering the number of people arriving in the office at any one time. The offices are all supplied with safety equipment to allow us to go about our day and has meant we are ready for business… at least we thought that was the case!

But, nothing could prepare us for that awkward moment when a client first walks into your office, or you meet them on an appointment at a property and a ‘mini western standoff’ scenario is created. Seeming like, for the estate agent they have something wrong with them, or for the client that we have just declared the worse news ever and we are ‘frozen to the spot’!! Now, once the initial couple of days have been and gone, it is now all starting to feel a lot more normal, or at least it is more accepted as the ‘new normal’ anyway.

We, once again cannot thank our staff and clients enough for adapting to such measures, promoting ‘Contact us via video and phone first’ on all areas of the business and coming into the office only when necessary.

Whilst we expect footfall in our branches to increase once the town centre retails shops start to reopen for business, we are now able to adapt and create what is the best of both worlds for our clients. Within our sector, there is a common age battle of online versus offline and this has always provided a huge talking point. With high street banks still able to provide a service, the credibility of a high street Estate Agent will remain there for convenience and ease of access to conduct day to day business and creates a place of work where team members are able to carry out business tasks in the best possible way and safely. The most important aspect of all is that we can go about our business in a face to face manner allowing clients to be able to sit with a human being and actually feel the warmth and energy of the person that is to market their property, after all, we are a business that is built upon trust and knowledge. Whilst we would not have recommended this at present, many wise people have said: “ you can tell a lot about a person by their handshake”.

We are working very hard behind the scenes to adapt to new expectations and ways of working. We are also listening to our staff and clients about what Estate Agency could actually look like in the future. Perfection today for any business is just not possible but be assured that an Estate Agent that excels in these current conditions is one that is happy to listen, to take criticism and feedback and work with the clients to make it right. We are dedicated to learning from the world today and working towards creating what our clients will want in the future, this includes all the benefits of an online agent but with the added reassurance of a high street agent which has the staff, resources and knowledge of its local market place to provide the customer service required and achieve the desired result and always remembering we are dealing with your most valued asset.

20 years ago we saw digital photography replace old style photography, 5 years on from today could see an even bigger change within our industry that outweighs this... so, here’s to embracing the future!

Enjoy the Bank Holiday Weekend and we very much looking forward to speaking with you in the future.

This is an example of one of our property videos. This is just one of our new solutions to operate safely throughtout Covid-19, giving a potential buyer the chance to view a property without leaving the comfort of their own house.

These videos tours can be created by yourselves or our team, they are then sent to our marketing team to create proffesional videos which help to sell your property.

If you wish to download our e-guide to filming your own property please click here

We have released our guide to virtual viewings today.

This guide highlights how viewings are taking place, alongside the procedures for face to face viewings as well.

We would love your feedback on our process

If you wish to speak to one of our team to book a viewing or feedback about our viewing process, you can find your local office here.

You can also download your e-guide to virtual viewings here.

We’ve been approached by a number of people asking how we are operating during Covid-19. For this reason we have created a number of videos and e-guides to help you with how we are currently working.

Today’s guide is focusing on how we are conducting valuations.

We are working with government guidelines in mind. Making sure we operate safely and in the interests of both our clients and our staff.

Throughout the course of the week we will be releasing more guides, so make sure to check back for regular updates and information.

We hope everyone is well and safe, our preparations are coming along well and yesterday all of our PPE equipment was delivered to our offices. We are also delighted to confirm that all of our offices will be anti-viral cleaned on Saturday in preparation for Monday, along with new signage on our doors outlining our commitment to safety. We have staggered the number of staff coming into our offices to enable us to work safely and in line with social distancing measures and should clients need to enter our offices, space awareness stickers will be put down on our floors early part of next week.

We are so proud of all of our staff who have supported us throughout this, whether they have been on furlough or have continued to work from home providing services to our clients. This has been truly overwhelming. We have had positive engagement from everyone, whether that has been taking part in our weekly inter-department quizzes or on our focus groups to prepare for a ‘new normal’ way of working, all coming up with some outstanding ideas to keep themselves and their family’s safe and ensuring clients feel the same.

As we enter this period we are confident that our staff are equipped with all the safety equipment, technology, knowledge and outstanding customer service skills to ensure we are dealing with any enquiry in the correct way….Team Prospect 2020 we cannot thank you enough for then, now and in the future.

Please look out for our guides being issued today and over the course of the weekend showing how we will conduct Valuations and Viewings Safely along with Video guides. Next week we will be demonstrating our safe working environment and practicing ‘the new normal’.

Have a superb weekend and very much look forward to keeping you updated over the coming days.

Following Tuesday night’s announcement from the Government regarding Estate Agents re-opening their offices and further guidelines issued yesterday, we have implemented the following action plan ensuring the total safety of our staff and clients:-

• Ensure our offices are regularly anti-viral deep cleaned and followed up with weekly ‘fogging’.
• Limit the members of our team in an office at any one time to reduce the number of people coming into contact with each other.
• Ensure full PPE equipment is available, such as fixed hand sanitisers in all offices for staff and clients when entering and exiting our offices.
• Promote and adhere to a new way of working by conducting business where possible without having to come into contact with clients.
• Ensure our policies for Market Appraisals and Viewings limit the number of people who come into contact with each other.
• Demonstrate to our clients that they will feel safe when doing business with Prospect
• Reduced and staggered opening hours allowing for a mixture of working from home and office – Where staff can continue to work from home they will.
• Prepared to be fully flexible in the event that the industry needs to quickly adapt to any changes.

The safety and wellbeing of our staff and clients is paramount, with this in mind we are fully preparing to open our offices to the public from Monday 18th our opening hours will be Monday to Friday 10am until 4pm and Saturday 10am until 2pm, As always we are completely available for Video and Telephone calls until such time that we allow restricted access to our offices.

We welcome your feedback on our approach. By taking such steps we will instill confidence into our clients by taking a comprehensive approach on preparation for conducting our services in the most safe working environment possible for our staff and the public.

Safety is our paramount priority for our staff and our clients. It is incredibly important to us.

You have total reassurance and maximum confidence in our rigorous safety policies and procedures for your dealings with Prospect, whether in our offices or at any property.

With this in mind we will be staggering our processes and best policies in order to open our offices safely.

We will keep you posted over the coming days to comply with government guidelines.

As before we are available via video and telephone for any enquires.

The wellbeing of our clients, staff and their families - together with continuity of service to our clients - is of paramount importance. Outlined below are our 19 ‘New Normals’ outlining the precautionary measures Prospect have taken to minimise the risk to our clients, staff and others.

These new practices are in place as a necessity to ensure the smooth operational running of the business throughout the evolving advice that the government issues on a daily basis.

We are following all government advice to ensure we implement the latest travel, isolation and hygiene practices within our business.

To view the latest government advice, please visit:

In Branches

1- Where possible home working measures are in place for the vulnerable and those employees that are able to do so.

2- Those working in branch are separated and positioned at least 2 metres apart.

3- Kitchen areas are closed and refreshments are not offered to clients at present.

4- Doors are locked and clients are discouraged from entering offices unless it is to collect keys or they are unable to make a call.

5- Clients that are in the office will be kept to a minimum and a queuing system will be implemented where required.

6- Wall mounted hand sanitizers are installed by our entrances. These areas are regularly wiped.

7- All key handovers are contactless.

8- Employees are encouraged to wash their hands regularly especially when re-entering the office and when leaving.

9- All offices are regularly ‘fogged’ when closed.

10- All offices have a supply of gloves, masks, wipes, hand soap, antiviral sprays and hand sanitiser.

On Viewings & Valuations

11- When booking in viewings and valuations, clients are asked a series of questions to enable us to understand the following:

• Are you or anyone in your family considered vulnerable?
• Have you or anyone in your family shown symptoms of the virus or are in isolation?
• How would you most feel comfortable with the valuation or viewings taking place?

12- All employees are supplied with appropriate PPE for conducting viewings and valuations safely, these include face shields and mouth masks, gloves, hand sanitizers, sprays and wipes.

13- All applicants will be required to carry out a virtual viewing before physically being able to enter a property to view it.

14- Any meetings or discussions regarding valuing or giving advice can be done via Zoom or over the telephone.

15- When accompanying viewings our employees will adhere to the social distancing guidelines and remain 2 metres apart at all times.

16- We insist that all applicants wishing to view a property also wear appropriate PPE and shoes are left outside.

17- We ask that vendors open any cupboards or doors and turns lights on prior to a viewing taking place so that no surfaces can then be touched by the agent or applicant.

18- When entering and exiting a property hands will be washed and/or sanitised.

19- No-one is put in danger of spreading or contracting the virus.