Tougher Tier 5 measures could be imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus, Boris Johnson has suggested.
Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show on the BBC yesterday, the PM said: “It may well be that we need to do things in the next few weeks that will be tougher in many parts of the country. I’m fully, fully reconciled to that.
“There are obviously a range of tougher measures that we would have to consider.”
Estate agency offices can remain open to the public in all 4 tiers, but given that Covid-19 cases are rising at an alarming rate, that may not remain the case if a new Tier 5 is announced.
Let us know what you think by voting in this snapshot poll – which closes at 7pm this evening.
[yop_poll id=”5″]
Comments (20)
We are estate agents just below parking wardens on the likeable charts, why on earth does anyone think they need to stay open to “help people move”
get over yourselves, close, stay safe and live to fight another day.
Personally, I think everyone should be locked in their homes, for a few weeks to really get things down.
One of our staff had to wait 13 hours for an ambulance for his Mum for a non-covid issue.
NHS at breaking point (5% of those that test positive end up needed medical intervention)
With cases above 50000 a day and rising (i think) NHS will break
While not ideal I think SSTC should be able to complete with viewings paused for a few weeks.
Won’t be a popular opinion but I really think the sooner we get this under control the sooner we can get to “normal”
Lockdown for a month and extend the Stamp Duty break to the end of June. That’s not light at the end of the tunnel you can see coming towards you, it’s a runaway train!
I’d rather take a proper lockdown now and get some headway on vaccination than this endless back and forth of what is and isn’t open, tiers various and the covid numbers continue to skyrocket.
That is far too sensible an idea to be adopted by the government!
We should be closed. Whoever thought it was a good idea to open offices, carry out viewings, property inspections (yes, we’ve been told it’s safe – for whom!!), MAs and take ones. All money driven. But I can’t see my family because it’s not safe! Really? If I arranged for them to view a property with us, it would be safe. How ****** ridiculous is that? Close all non-essential businesses now. We can’t evict anyone and if you’re in a property, stay put.
Exactly this! I can’t see how they consider it safe for me (or the people I’m visiting) to go in and out of several peoples houses every single day. Absolutely ridiculous. Even more so when people are being told that they can’t see their own family. Utter madness!!
Going to go against the grain and say as long as protocol is followed no problem being open carrying on.
Mask, gloves, wipes, Make sure only 2 people view and vendors out and keep at least 2 meters distance.
And how many viewings would you do a day/in a row for this? No amount of wearing masks and especially gloves (unless they change for every viewing and time they touch their face) will help.
I was listening to a virologist who was saying wearing a mask was like using chicken wire to keep mosquitos out of your house.
If you did 14 viewings in a day, that’s 14 sets of different people who have had different contacts during the past week from shops and who knows what.
This will only go away by a full national hard lockdown or herd immunity which means we will lose a lot more people.
How many people are in a supermarket when you go in?
Without sounding heartless, the death rate not much to be worried about.
If people want to ‘risk it’ they should be allowed.
Too many people see this as free time off and handouts!
The death rate is a lot to be worried about wwhen it is you or one of yours.
75,000 deaths on a population of 66 million, in almost 12 months.
Its sad when anybody dies but the fact is people do die.
Let me know when you go and I will do you as your name suggests.
Careful guys, this is your brain on Conservatism™
I’ve been saying the same for months, i’ve never felt comfortable with us being open. I’m sure someone will be on to call it all codswallop and what about our front line workers in the NHS.
We are not in the NHS, they are incredible, brave and necessary. We are not.
Sending us in to others houses with all the various contacts they have had doesn’t help stop the virus, it helps spread it.
It is of course completely financially driven and has nothing to do with it being “safe” for us to do so. I’m not worried about me, I’m worried about my family and friends and those of people we’d interact with.
Well said Quangs. Anyone who thinks viewings are safe needs their head examining. We know what people are like in the housing market, a good proportion of them have no scruples whatsoever will say anything or do anything to get what they want. How often have we seen people not want to wear a mask on accompanied viewings or walk straight past the hand sanitiser provided?
You can’t see your family or buy a pair of shoes from the local shoe shop, but a large number of strangers can come visit your house just because it’s on the market? Doesn’t make any sense to me.
Agree with both comments. We’re appointment only and have been for months before it was compulsory. I wonder how many agents will actually use this as a reason to not use physical premises going forward.
AgencyInsider I was not getting political but seeming how you are, I agree with you that perhaps we should have gone into a nationwide lockdown, I disagree that the goverment have been incompetent and lacking leadership. It is an unprecedented situtaion changing daily. My point was that Estate Agents offices should have had locked doors since March but continue to trade in a safe manner. The government has been very clerar in what we can and cannot do in this business. PIE’s snapshot poll was not clear as they seem to be asking if we should close offices. As I say, they should have been closed to the public since March. Locked doors. I have heard that some offices have been spot checked for this.
Offices should be closed to the public now! Our door has been locked since March. Pre booked appointment only in the office. If you mean should Tier 5 agents continue to trade (viewings/ vals/ instructions) then yes with safe practices in place.
Agreed skipdale. This government is incompetent, reactive, and entirely lacking in leadership. We should have locked down before Christmas.