Working Safely

 

Following the Government's Working safely during COVID-19 in other people’s homes guidance issued on the 11th May 2020, we have formulated our own guidance for both our Clients and our self-employed workers.  We hope that this guidance provides assurances that the services which we provide can be offered safely and with minimal risks to all parties concerned.

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Indications show that the demand for our services will be increased over the weeks and months ahead, whilst our Clients staff remain furloughed, are shielding or need to continue to work from home.  If you are unsure as to how we can assist you in these situations, please email info@trueloveproperty.co.uk to book a free and without obligation consultation.

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Booking an appointment

 

Before booking an appointment, Clients must ensure that they are not self-isolating or shielding.  If anyone is self-isolating or shielding an appointment with Truelove Property should not be booked.

In addition to checking whether the property occupiers are self-isolating, the Client must also check to confirm whether any of the occupiers are classed as clinically vulnerable, for example, the property occupier is over 70.  Appointments can still be booked in this instance, however, when making the appointment the Client should write in the Notes on the booking form that there is a clinically vulnerable occupant in their household and should contact us without the need for face-to-face contact. 

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If a Client wishes for their own Risk Assessment Notice to be shown to the property occupiers and/or viewers, then they must upload this document to the appointment booking.  

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Clients are requested to place as short as possible appointment bookings.  Our minimum appointment time is 30 minutes.  If further guidance is released advising that appointments should be only 15 or 20 minutes, a 30-minute appointment booking will still be necessary due to viewers often arriving later than anticipated. 

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Where possible, Open House appointments should be replaced with timed viewing appointments.

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Confirmed appointment bookings

 

Once a client been confirmed for an appointment, some steps must be conducted to make sure the environment is as safe as possible.  Our guidance is below:

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• Our employees will wash their hands on arrival, either by using sink and soap on site or using hand sanitiser/hand wipes.​

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• A Truelove employee will introduce themselves as they normally would (if applicable to the situation) but will not shake hands.

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• We will ensure all internal doors are open to minimise contact with door handles. We have also kept windows open to ensure good ventilation is maintained, along with the cleaning of high touch items such as door handles and any other regularly touched surfaces. 

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• If the occupant refuses to assist with social distancing measures and the property is not large enough for the viewing parties to be able to walk through whilst maintaining social distancing, then the appointment will be aborted. ​

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• We will not permit more than two adults to enter a property at any one time.  If there are more than two adults in attendance, they will need to wait outside, 2 meters apart, regardless as to whether they form part of the same household.  If those in attendance do not keep to social distancing, then the appointment will be aborted. ​

 

Travelling to appointments​

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You are advised to walk or cycle to appointments where practicable to do so or to use your own transport.  The use of public transport should be completely avoided.  Where a vehicle needs to be used, you should regularly clean their vehicle using gloves and standard cleaning products - with an emphasis of cleaning door handles and other high touch areas.

Before travelling to an appointment, you must ensure that they have everything you need need to stay safe. Items relevant to COVID-19 include hand wipes/hand gel and standard household cleaning wipes.

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Greeting viewers and other people in attendance

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When viewers arrive at a Truelove property site, an employee of ours will introduce themselves as they normally would and say that due to social distancing they are unable to shake their hand.  They will then explain how the appointment will be conducted to ensure social distancing is maintained. 

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During the appointment

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We will not share pens, paper or any other objects during the appointment with anyone in attendance.  

To reduce the spread of germs, We will always look to cough or sneeze into a tissue, or a sleeve, and dispose of the tissue as soon as possible and then re-wash hands, either with soap and water within the property or using their own hand sanitiser or hand wipes.  

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Ending appointments

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Weather permitted, we will hold all end of appointment discussions with the viewers outside of the property, maintaining social distancing.

The client will remove from the property any wipes, tissues etc which they have personally used during the appointment and dispose of them as appropriate. 

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Personal Protective Equipment

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As with other non-clinical settings, the precautionary use of PPE to protect against COVID-19 is not encouraged. 

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Face Masks/Coverings

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It is recognised that there are some circumstance where wearing a face covering may be marginally beneficial as a precautionary measure.  The evidence suggests that wearing a face-covering does not protect the wearer, but it may protect others if the wearer is infected but has not developed symptoms. 

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We can opt whether to wear a face mask/covering if we wish to do so.  Face coverings can be made at home and guidance on how to do this and use them safely can be found on GOV.UK

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Risk Assessment Overview

 

Our office Members will not be on site, as they have always been in a remote office, and have no face-to-face contact with our Clients on site.  We, therefore, deem the risk of office Members contracting or transmitting the COVID-19 virus as a result of their duties to be nil.  

We recognise that our employees conducting appointments, meeting 3rd parties and working within properties carries a risk of transmission.  We also recognise that our Clients play a significant part in managing this risk.  With this in mind, we have created this guide outlining the responsibilities of both our Clients and employees in minimising the risk of transmission to a low level.  This guidance will be available on the website and will be included on all appointment notifications to help ensure compliance by all parties concerned. 

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