A Northern housing association has launched virtual viewings to help people find new homes safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Castles & Coasts Housing Association (CCHA), which has homes across the North East and Cumbria, created virtual viewings to provide potential residents with a safe and easy to access solution to view their potential new home on their phone, tablet or computer.
Virtual viewings mean that potential residents can view and sign up to a tenancy, via a completely contact-free process. CCHA staff remain on hand for residents to contact throughout the lettings process, but this is also done in a contact-free way.
The service will be available across the organisation’s housing stock, and CCHA plans to keep developing this to meet the needs of applicants, even after the pandemic, as it has been extremely well received.
CCHA’s Lettings & Neighbourhoods Manager, Jonathan Proctor, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has made us all think differently about how we deliver services and interact with residents. We wanted to ensure that our services continued and that we could deliver them in a safe manner, which is why we have introduced virtual viewings and contact free tenancy sign ups.
“In line with current restrictions and to ensure the most stringent safety protocols, CCHA is carrying out virtual viewings for every available property. So far, feedback has been really good, as applicants can view properties numerous times and also share viewings with family members. We have even had one applicant share her virtual viewing video with a daughter in Canada.
“The safety of residents, staff and contractors is of paramount importance, so by creating an online environment we are allowing people to take a virtual stroll through our properties and assess if it meets their specific needs.”
“Virtual viewings are here to stay as an option for potential residents to view our properties,” added Jonathan. “With the easing of restrictions in the coming months, we will develop this service further, to help more people access properties across the North East and Cumbria.”
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