The coronavirus has been making news headlines across the world, and it has become easy to feel overwhelmed with fear and anxiety, particularly in regards to the virus, and your place of work. But the best way to combat these feelings is to keep up-to-date with current reliable information, and take preventative measures to keep you and your colleagues healthy and safe.
As an industry, it’s important to be prepared. Most, if not all, roles across the Queensland Real Estate industry involve high contact with people. We as a company have made alternate arrangements to flatten the curve of infection. We no conduct most transactions virtually to maintain the recommended social isolation, whilst continuing to maintain the highest standard of personal hygiene. For more information on how the measures may influence your property for rent in the market, under management, or if you are a tenant then please contact our office today for more information on the measures we are undertaking or have undertaken with the recent Coronavirus implications.
So what is COVID-19 or Coronavirus?
- COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
- The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough.
- Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhoea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually.
- Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell.
- Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment.
How you can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water and / or use an alcohol-based hand sanitisers and disinfectants on surfaces;
- Cover your nose and mouth with a disposable hypoallergenic tissue or flexed elbow when coughing or sneezing, disposing off tissues immediately after use and either washing your hands or applying hand sanitiser;
- Avoid close contact with anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms;
- Remain home if feeling unwell;
At our open homes
- For our agents with private showings, we’re following up on the day to ensure the potential prospect is not unwell or if there’s been any illness recently in the family;
- Request clients attending open homes / inspections to avoid touching all fixtures, fitting and furniture within the home and instead ask the on-site agent or property manager to demonstrate the functionality of any devices if required;
- We provide alcohol-based hand sanitiser and request all visitors use it;
- Provide and advise the use of disinfectants to tenants at the end of an open-home if tenanted or, wipe over all door handles and surfaces with alcohol wipes before leaving;
- Minimise physical contact with clients or owners where possible, showings are private only or spaces 10 minutes apart for each person;
- Reduce documentation handling where practical;
- Reassure people and our clients that we are simply following best-practice precautionary measures to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus where possible.
For our Landlors
Real Estate is a people business, and the health of our clients is of upmost importance. Following guidelines and recommendations set out by various Health Authorities, we are implementing the following precautionary measures for the time being;
1. Screening questions will be asked prior to anyone entering properties;
- Whether they are feeling well or currently experiencing any cold / flu-like symptoms;
- Knowingly been in contact with someone experiencing any cold / flu-like symptoms;
- Returned from recent overseas travel;
- If someone answers ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, they will be politely declined access, and their details will be collected for an inspection at a later date.
2. Staff will be wearing gloves to prevent contact, particularly in areas of high levels such as doorknobs and tap handles etc.
3. Request anyone attending your home to wear gloves we will provide, or instead ask for a demonstration by the agent in attendance of anything they wish to see operate.
4. Provide hand sanitiser where available;
5. At the conclusion of any inspections, your agent will wipe over any surfaces they believe have been in contact with people viewing your home. Whilst all care will be taken, we urge to perhaps wipe over these surfaces as secondary measure.
During this time, we would also like to offer you the alternative of only offering Private Inspections to pre-qualified renters, rather than conducting Open for Inspections. If you would prefer Open for Inspections to still take place, we are happy to continue to hold these and will time them 10 minutes apart for each interested parties.
We also request that should anyone in your household be experiencing any cold / flu-like symptoms, please advise our office as soon as practicable.
While these measures may appear to be severe, we would like to reiterate that the health of our staff and clients remains our priority hence us implementing best-practice precautionary measures.
Should you have any concerns, please feel free to contact us at any time.
We wish all of our clients and colleagues in this industry a safe next couple of months. These times can feel daunting and scary, but now is the time for our community to rise up and band together to flatten the curve of infection while continuing to practice the highest standards of service to our clients. We are still open for business, but we are taking all the required measures to practice safe business and fulfil our social responsibilities.