For Immediate Release | Asheville, NC | T. C. Lewis & Co.
As we released in a previous statement, we do not want to overeact, but now that we have been in a worldwide pandemic for the last 90+ days, we have implemented protocols, as well as amended policies and procedures to help combat and prevent the spread of the disease, along with providing relief to tenants in need as best we can.
We continue to follow CDC guidelines and are limiting close contact and interaction with the public whenever possible. Those guidelines can be accessed here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fprepare%2Fprevention.html.
Our offices continue to be manned with social distancing in place and closed for public entry. Office hours remain normal, and calls are being answered like normal. We encourage tenants to use the online tenant portal system to submit payments and work order requests. Payments can also be made at office drop boxes as needed.
Maintenance and construction staff are outfitted with PPE at occupied properties and complexes and have ample hand sanitizer loaded into each company vehicle dispatched to properties. We are still pre-screening tenants prior to dispatching personnel to maintenance requests.
Leasing and sales agents have been conducting showings of properties to prospective tenants and buyers via FaceTime, Zoom, etc. T. C. Lewis & Co. is slowly moving back toward individual in-person showings of properties. We have maintained the average level of sales and new lease activity weekly as normal.
So far, T. C. Lewis & Co. has voluntarily waived over $40,000 in late fees in working with tenants who have had job loss, been furloughed, or had hours cut due to Covid19. That said, tenants have made great effort in communicating with the company and done a great job in paying as best as possible. For the month of April, a study showed that no payments of rent were made by more than 35% of tenants nationally, while T. C. Lewis & Co. held that level to below 1%.
T. C. Lewis & Co. continues to work hard to maintain a high level of service to clients and tenants, and we hope that everyone will be self-disciplined enough to maintain social distancing, unnecessary travel, and large group activities to help limit the consequences of a second wave.
Comments