People in Scotland can buy and sell homes once again from today.
The Scottish government stressed the importance of physical distancing and hygiene, while it encouraged virtual viewings and other parts of the process to be completed online.
The number of people allowed to view a property at the same time is restricted, while surfaces like door handles should be cleaned after every viewing.
Mark Hayward, chief executive of NAEA Propertymark and David Cox, chief executive of ARLA Propertymark, said: “Whilst it is not a return to normal, the new guidelines will allow members of the public to view, purchase, rent and move into new properties from today, reinvigorating the housing market and boosting the economy.
“Of course, safety is paramount, and we encourage all agents to follow the Propertymark guidelines on property viewings and moves closely to protect themselves and others.”
CALA Homes, a housebuilder in Scotland, started reopening sites from today by appointment only.
Philip Hogg, sales and marketing director with CALA Homes (East), said: “We are looking forward to welcoming customers back to our sales offices and helping them in their search for their dream home.
“The safety of our customers, our team and the wider community is absolutely paramount, and we’ve put in place a number of new health and safety measures to ensure their wellbeing, which all of our teams have been extensively briefed on.
“We’ve increased the frequency of cleaning in our sales suites and showhomes and will leave time between each appointment for this to take place. There’ll also be some changes throughout the experience, such as protective screens and hand sanitiser stations, and new signage to help customers navigate the sales areas safely.”
