Washington REALTORS® has received confirmation from the Governor’s Office that property management services for single and multi-family residential buildings (including apartment buildings) are within the scope of Governor Inslee’s March 28 residential Real Estate services memo. This means that residential single and multi-family property management, including working with tenants, can occur subject to the requirements of the memo. Residential property managers must strictly comply with the requirements of the memo, which means that (1) in-person meetings with tenants are prohibited except when necessary to view a property or sign necessary documents; (2) any in-person viewing must be by appointment and limited to no more than two people on site; and (3) social distancing requirements apply to those two on-site persons. Property managers must perform any service remotely whenever possible.
REALTORS® in property management should also be aware of Governor Inslee’s March 25 Construction Guidance memo. That memo provides that commercial and residential construction is not authorized under the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order, except for certain essential activities, or “[t]o prevent spoliation and avoid damage or unsafe conditions, and address emergency repairs at both non-essential businesses and residential structures.” Thus, certain property management functions relating to safety and emergency repairs at residential properties may proceed based on the March 25 Construction guidance, while other property management services can occur based on the March 28 Real Estate guidance.
REALTORS® urge property managers to strictly comply with the requirements of Governor Inslee’s Real Estate memo to provide services remotely whenever possible, have only two persons on-site for a necessary purpose, and maintain social distancing at all times.
