By Dave Garness, Managing Director
Despite the increasing restrictions in place over the coming weeks as part of the combined national effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, Garness Jones would like to stress our teams are still operating and available to offer support and advice to clients, particularly landlords and tenants.
We appreciate these are difficult times for all, but many are being affected in different ways and to differing extremes relating to property matters.
Our belief, as always, is that communication, honesty and transparency over individual circumstances is key to reaching agreeable solutions.
That is why we have mobilized our team to be able to continue being available and ready to offer our advice and expertise.
We would ask that people don’t visit our head office in Hull, which is now closed to visitors. It is currently being manned by a skeleton staff to provide access for emergency situations only, such as if there is a need to access property keys or legal documents.
Any visitors to the office will be asked to follow strict social distancing and hygiene measures.
The rest of our staff are all now working remotely from home and are available as they would be during normal working hours. We continue to conduct meetings via conference and video calls, and these are proving very effective and beneficial.
Our work in other areas also continues where it is required and sensible, always following the clear Government guidance on social distancing.
We know there has been some debate over what is classed as ‘essential’ work and we are taking a common sense approach at all times and judging everything on merit and ‘essential’ need.
Despite the media coverage of shutdowns of certain industries, which has been unavoidable to ensure social distancing needs are met, business is continuing in many forms and we remain available to support those companies remotely.
We support many landlords and tenants who are very busy currently as they operate in sectors such as logistics and food, which of course, are of paramount importance at present.
Our teams are also supporting clients with regards to maintenance and repairs which relate to health and safety regulations and standards being met, ensuring lives at not put at risk by other dangers.
We have also seen property transactions completed in the past week, with our team on hand to support clients through this process.
This demonstrates that business has not completely shut down, but continues in certain sectors, and with regards to long-term property decisions.
Our message to our clients again is that our team is still available to communicate with you and support you should you need our help and expertise.
We will continue working sensibly, supporting business where and when we can.
