SDL Surveying has outlined additional guidance and safety procedures to its surveyors in order that they can continue to survey and value properties throughout the latest Covid lockdown.
The national residential surveying and valuations firm has stressed that, while there are various versions of a national lockdown across the constituent parts of the UK, the property market remains open for business, and its surveyors are still able to value and survey homes.
Its current Covid-19 procedures already go beyond the UK Ggovernment guidance and policies, but it has also now introduced a new measure which means any surveyor conducting a HomeBuyer Report (HBR) can only do so if all property occupiers have vacated the premises while the internal part of their inspection takes place.
SDL Surveying said it has introduced this new measure in order to provide greater levels of safety to both its surveyors and the occupiers. All surveyors conduct a Dynamic Risk Assessment while at property appointments, and SDL Surveying has outlined that with more detailed inspections like HBR, a requirement for a vacated property adds a further level of safety.
It has also urged its surveyors to contact all forthcoming appointments, in order to highlight the changes and to check whether the occupants have had any changes in their circumstances, for example, a renewed need to shield.
All SDL surveyors have a specific post-lockdown inspection procedure – approved by SDL’s lender clients – and the firm said it will continue to keep abreast of guidance from both the government and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), plus it will listen to feedback from its surveyors.
The firm has also updated its booking script and guidance safety video to reflect these changes.
Simon Jackson (pictured), managing director of SDL Surveying, said: “While we might all have hoped to avoid a new national lockdown, given the rise in Covid-19 cases, the increase in hospitalisations and sadly deaths, plus the more potent strain of the disease, there is no doubting this was a decision that needed to be made.
“That said, we feel fortunate to be active in an industry where work can continue, albeit where we feel it’s necessary to up the measures and actions we require our surveyors to undertake, particularly when it comes to spend longer periods of time in the property such as HBRs.
“This is why we are now insisting on a vacated property for such work, and we hope that all parties will understand the reasoning behind this, and it is driven by our commitment to keeping everyone safe when our surveyors are carrying out this work.
“As mentioned, the good news is that we can continue to work, the property market remains open and we are able to work with our lender clients to ensure they can move the transactions and business through their pipelines to completion.
“Last year turned out to be incredibly busy for SDL Surveying, and even with this new lockdown, our outlook is continued activity and growth. It’s why we continue to recruit surveyors, both in-house and within our network, and its why we’ll continue to focus on ensuring the very highest standards of service and safety are set by everyone in the business.”
