By Joe Arnold at Arnold & Baldwin
Date published: April 14, 2020
This article is in regards to survey's we are completing properties for your potential purchaser. Our surveyors are honest, approachable experts following all government guidance regarding the situation with COVID-19. Please see Government Guidance we are following to inspect your home (page 4):
Work carried out in people’s homes.
Surveyors will be wearing all Personal Protective Equipment whilst conducting your survey. For example gloves, shoe protectors and access to masks where required
Our trusted surveyors will always be following the 2M distancing rules when visiting properties. It is important that we do not put anyone at risk
Our surveyors will use gloves when handling ladders, handles and doors etc at all times
Our Surveyor will have minimal contact with all surfaces whilst at the property
No physical contact is needed at anytime during the survey
Disinfectant spray is used to clean all equipment used by the surveyor before entering the property
All of our surveyors are in good health and exhibit no signs of COVID-19
Our clients space will be respected at all times
WHAT WE WILL NEED FROM YOU
To enable the surveyor to spend as little time as possible in your home, please may we ask you to follow the Government 2 meter distancing advice. Please may you find a room you can all congregate in. If you could remain in that room whilst the surveyor undertakes their internal inspection, they can inspect that room last. Or, alternatively it might be nicer for you to take the opportunity to use the time for one of your daily allowable exercises.
Please may we also request the following:
All pets to be contained in one room and if not possible, they must keep 2 metre distance.
Children in occupation, it might be best for families to be in the garden or on a walk to safeguard all involved, as my children are often inquisitive and it’s safer to distance them from intrigue.
Please open all internal doors to reduce touching handles and ensure window keys are easily accessible
Please open loft hatches and setup loft ladders, the surveyor does have their own and will use gloves and shoe protectors
It would also help if you could think about where the following are, and advise the surveyor on the day:
1. Where are the electrics located in the property?
2. Where is the gas meter located?
3. Where is the stop clock located?
4. Where is the water meter located?
5. Where is the boiler located?
6. Are you aware of any issues in the property? If yes, please specify where?
7. Do you have any certification in regards to gas and electricity safety?
8. Do you have any guarantees or warranties for windows, boilers, historical damp treatment, extensions etc?
9. Where is the cold water storage tank located? If applicable
10. Where is the hot water cylinder located? If applicable
11. Is there underfloor heating? If so, where are the controls?
YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY, ARE YOU IN AN AT RISK OR VULNERABLE CATEGORY?
Government is advising those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures. This group includes those who are:
aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)
under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds):
chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma , chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) , emphysema or bronchitis
chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
chronic kidney disease
chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease , motor neurone disease , multiple sclerosis (MS) , a learning disability or cerebral palsy
Diabetes
problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS , or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
being seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above)
Those who are pregnant
Note: there are some clinical conditions which put people at even higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. If you are in this category, next week the NHS in England will directly contact you with advice about the more stringent measures you should take in order to keep yourself and others safe. For now, you should rigorously follow the social distancing advice in full, outlined below.
People falling into this group are those who may be at particular risk due to complex health problems such as:
people who have received an organ transplant and remain on ongoing immunosuppression medication
people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radiotherapy
people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia who are at any stage of treatment
people with severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma (requiring hospital
admissions or courses of steroid tablets)
people with severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis)