With the Government announcement of the third lockdown for England, starting January 6th, the majority of retail businesses will yet again have to close their doors. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have lockdown restrictions and their specific requirements can be found within the Government Guidance links below. Whilst ‘non-essential’ retail premises have to close businesses may continue to offer the following services:
- Electrical Retailers can offer a ‘front of store’ collection service, so customers can either call in advance or order online and collect their goods from outside the retail/ warehousing premises.
- Home delivery and installation of appliances that require some technical expertise to install, or, for example, where a householder could not realistically carry a washing machine up a flight of stairs, can continue to be done following the current ‘working in other people’s homes’ guidelines.
- Service personnel can continue to call upon and enter households to carry out repairs to appliances.
- Appliances can continue to be sold within retail premises where those retailers are deemed to be an ‘essential’ retailer, so supermarkets, hardware stores and pharmacy type outlets that sell small electricals.
- Online/ Etail businesses can continue to offer their full range of services.
AMDEA members continue to do their best to ensure that key appliances can still be repaired or replaced and the majority of manufactures and service support providers will continue to visit householders where they have a service and/or safety support requirement.
All of our members follow the Government Covid19 safe working guidelines, both within their offices and factories and when working in other peoples’ homes.
AMDEA recommends that you visit the official Government website link for the latest guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19
The latest COVID-19 information for customers: https://www.registermyappliance.org.uk/covid-19-information-for-customers/
Businesses are recommended to obtain the latest advice from the devolved nation Government information sites (or follow the links on the Gov.UK site above) to ensure that you are compliant with the rules that are in place.