Propertymark says it’s continuing to talk to government departments about making the furlough scheme flexible enough to meet agency industry needs. 

A statement from the ARLA and NAEA Propertymark team says it’s recently discussed with government how agency and supplier employers would like to move their staff in and out of furlough on a weekly basis rather than current three-week arrangements.

A similar demand was made earlier this week by the Home Buying and Selling Group, of which Propertymark is a member.

It says the financial implications of having to commit to paying un-furloughed staff while gauging whether markets will return to near-normal levels of business are preventing many employers from bringing staff back on to the payroll.

And Propertymark adds that due to the way transactions are linked through chains, minor delays can cause a logjam for homebuyers and sellers in completing transactions. 

Greater flexibility to bring employees in and out of furlough on a weekly basis would make these delays far less likely and would enable the market to run more smoothly.   

You can see the HBSG letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak on this issue, here.