Would Tier 5 close down Estate Agency business?

Estate Agency during covid19

As rumours circulate on a new tier 5 from the government, many in estate agency are questioning what effect this will have in the operating of selling property. Tier 4 we are in with tier 5 looking likely and as Buzz Lightyear would say, maybe even tier infinity and beyond is starring at us on the horizon.

Tier 4 saw confusion as governments guidelines were brief and undetailed, most estate agents it was carry on as before and only a handful, maybe those deeper in the belief of the pandemic, closed their stores and remained ‘online only’. Official guidance stated that ‘Estate and letting agents and removals firms can continue to work.‘ with obviously most respecting the requirements of the government regarding safe business practice during the pandemic.

As furlough extended itself until end of April 2021, those with common sense can see this means a further four months of severe lock downs ahead, non essential businesses at least closed and restrictions on our daily lives / aka our freedom. This is likely to be entitled tier 5, one of many aces that Boris Jonson has up his sleeve, a more severe strain of covid splattering the front pages of our most trusted and respected press (not) here in the UK, further scaremongering people in to masks, tests and vaccinations with not an ounce of proof that any of it is necessary.

Tier 5 and Estate Agency?

You pay your commission, not always cheap and not always welcomed, to get the free flowing events organised and smooth lined for you by an estate agency who have many years of experience – There is a lot of work that goes in to buying/selling homes. The fact that we mostly view property online means that the tier 5 is likely to have less of an effect in us viewing property of interest, but what about the services we require to aid this? How about the photography / videography, will this be allowed? Can all services to the industry work from home? What about the legals, the surveys, the valuations, for sale signs, programmers and many more who will be potentially hindered / halted by tier 5 (whatever its constraints are).

As an estate agent, will you remain open? If a new strain of covid is pushed out to the media, will this simply make it impossible to stay open on the high street at least? Face masks, desk shields, hand sanitisers, social distancing and more all obviously do not work, how else will they ask you to protect yourself and others from the dreaded covid!

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Home and Living

Best Budget Smartphones Under $200

In the rapidly advancing digital era, it’s no longer a luxury but a necessity to have a smartphone. Not everyone however needs or is able to pay hundreds of dollars for an expensive device. The good news is that there are numerous budget smartphones under $200 that provide great performance, decent cameras, and a long…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Ten years on: More first-time buyers moving to cities while the coast stands still

New ten-year analysis of the property market shows that more first-time buyers are looking to move to cities, while the coast has seen no growth in new buyers First-time buyer demand to move to Great Britain’s 50 largest cities (excluding London) is up by 16% on average over the last ten years, with Dundee topping…
Read More
Breaking News

Homeowners in England and Wales overvalue their properties by an average of 16%

Homeowners in England and Wales are overestimating the value of their property by an average of 16%, according to new figures. Data from Quick Move Now compares homeowner estimates with formal estate agent valuations and is broken down by both region and property type. Overall, homeowners overvalue in every single category.   Regional breakdown Region…
Read More
Visual blemishes on Roads due to service upgrades
Estate Agent Talk

Emergency Sidewalk Repairs: When to Act and Who to Call

Sidewalks are the unsung heroes of city infrastructure—quietly assisting tens of millions of footsteps every day. But when they crack, disintegrate, or shift all of sudden, they might quickly turn out to be volatile liabilities. In a town like New York, in which pedestrian site visitors are constant and belongings proprietors are legally chargeable for…
Read More
Breaking News

Reapit report reveals agents’ long-term market confidence amid legislative challenges

Despite the significant challenges posed by a shifting economic landscape and the largest wave of housing legislation in decades, estate and letting agents remain steadfast in their confidence about their long-term future in the industry. According to the first Reapit Property Outlook Report 2025, covering the full breadth of sales and lettings agency opinion countrywide,…
Read More
Breaking News

Owner-Occupiers Drive Resilient Commercial Property Market

Buying Becomes 37% Cheaper Than Renting The latest Commercial Property Demand Index from specialist property finance expert, Rangewell, reveals that while investor appetite across the sector held steady in Q2, strong levels of owner-occupied commercial mortgage activity are helping drive market performance, as business owners increasingly move from renting to buying their long-term premises for…
Read More