REIV announce Victorian Government to backflip to allow estate agents conduct by appointment open houses

REIV announce Victorian Government to backflip to allow estate agents conduct by appointment open houses
Staff reporterDecember 8, 2020

The ban by the Victorian chief health officer on holding private inspections of occupied homes listed for sale or rent was set to be scrapped, the REIV announced today.

The ban reduced the capacity of Victorian estate agents to conduct by appointment open houses.

The new ban was issued late on Thursday, but was set to be abolished Easter Monday, the REIV president Leah Calnan said.

Occupied properties meant all properties where someone was currently living, the Consumer Affairs department website had advised.

“We’re dumbfounded by the move,” Ms Leah Calnan, the REIV president said on Thursday.

“Victoria has been very heavy handed about this when other states still allow these inspections to go ahead."

The government made its in initial policy when reaffirming its message that people should stay home.

“There are only four reasons to leave your home: food and supplies, medical care or caregiving, exercise and work or education,” a government spokesperson said last week.

It advised there would be "no exemption for tenants or occupants to temporarily vacate their place of residence to facilitate inspections.

During the Stage 3 restrictions, vendors or landlords wanting to conduct inspections of tenanted properties can do so via virtual inspections, or wait until the property is fully vacated and disinfected."

Victorian agents are likely to return to previous practice when allowed to take buyers or renters through as long as social distancing guidelines were met.

Since the ban on public auctions and open homes from March 25, SOME 75 per cent of scheduled auctions were switched in Victoria to private sales.

Domain figures also show the number of property listings sat eight per cent lower compared to the same time last year.

Domain’s senior research analyst Nicola Powell had forecast any implementation of the updated pre-Easter ban would cripple the Victorian property market.

“Allowing private inspections gave the real estate market a lifeline. They’ve cut that lifeline. They’ve cut the blood supply to the real estate market."

The Consumer Affairs Victoria’s website had changed by 11am on Easter Monday stating “private inspections of an occupied/tenanted residential property are permitted” when just the real estate agent and the person inspecting the property were present.

 

Editor's Picks