Essential maintenance can be carried out during lockdown

Any Government guidance on annual gas safety checks which fall due during the 'lockdown' period?

Gase Safe are waiting on HSE guidance.

Please see >> https://www.property118.com/gas-safe-advice-and-suspension-of-safety-inspections/

Any guidance on cleaning and monthly fire safety checks in communal areas in blocks of flats? If the hard surfaces are not cleaned they spread the virus and if the fire alarms are faulty there is a fire risk. What a dilemma.

I have a flat which is currently vacant and is a self contained 2 bed-roomed flat in a block. The place has been left in a filthy condition by the previous tenant. It is my intention to sell the property. I am getting quotes at the moment from 2 contractors to thoroughly clean the place, including carpets, gloss paint doors and skirtings and emulsion the walls. Both contractors intend to do the job single handed without help from others. The job will take several days and I will give the contractor a key, keeping 2 metres away from him. As the property is not currently being occupied as a home by anyone I can see no logical reason why this work cannot be carried out at this time. Both contractors quoting are self employed and will probably need the money. Your opinions please.

I am in the same situation where a property is being refurbished by two people where one has stopped all work due to the lock down and the second one wishes to finish the work although, has not been to property since lock down. I personally cannot see anything wrong with him continuing to complete work if he so wishes at his own discretion as, I cannot see how there could be any spreading of the virus.

I would see both jobs as essential work to get a place available for someone to live in. Others may disagree.

I think this is great news from the government. I read it as maintenance can be carried out if all the precautions are taken. Our advice to all our tenants is to open the door and then stay in one room away from where our engineer is working. Our gas engineers, electricians, plumbers, roofers and locksmiths are all wearing PPE and following Public Health Guidelines. Regarding empty properties I see no reason that works cannot continue. At GPM UK we are constantly striving to support our Landlords and Agents and never more so than now in these challenging times.

I agree. Where a house is empty and 4 days have passed since anyone visited, the virus will have died. If a contractor is working alone I see no reason for them to stop planned non-essential works. In fact I think this is a lifesaver for self-employed contractors who as yet have no security of income. I have two kitchen floors that I'd like to replace and a lone contractor happy to do them. The tenants left when their University shut. The contractor drives himself to work and has his own materials in his garage. I intend to go ahead with this. A govt. spokesperson on Radio 4 yesterday said that gardeners could continue working as long as they don't come into contact with anyone. Personally I believe that if we understand the point of lockdown and are truly careful about how works are carried out, then there are circumstances where non-essential works are a win-win for a small sector of the economy. It also makes sense for tenants - neither the leaving or incoming tenants are being inconvenienced.

I wanted to reply to your message as it is obvious you are taking the appropriate precautions and with the property empty, and the contractors working single-handed I would not hesitate to carry on with the refurbishment as planned. Just keep a note of what precautions have been taken in case you need to refer to it at a future date.

Reply to the comment left by David Lawrenson at 25/03/2020 - 11:31Hmm I faced this issue. I had some works to refurb some bathrooms. We had the showers, WC s and basins in just as lockdown was announced. But no flooring. It was a tough call whether to send in the flooring man. As luck would have it, both tenants were away, so we decided to go ahead - and their lockdown will be more comfortable for it. The skirtings however have to wait. It's frustrating not to be able to snag the job and tidy up properly, but each case has to be weighed on its safety I believe.