What the eased Melbourne restrictions mean for commercial property

Melbourne commercial property inspections will be allowed to resume from Monday 19 October, in one of several wins for the struggling sector as tough restrictions begin to lift.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews also announced the return of outdoor auctions as of 11:59pm on Sunday 18 October, with a maximum of 10 people in attendance, plus required staff.

Melbourne’s commercial property sector received some good news from the Victorian Government.

Metro Melbourne’s stage four restrictions continue to ease, with Mr Andrews revealing a roadmap staggered over the coming two weekends – dependent on coronavirus case data.

“This is a timeline that is based on the current advice of our public health team. But if we continue to track well on the most important indicators – case averages, mystery cases, test numbers and the number of days people wait before they get tested – we may be in a position to move sooner,” the Premier said.

Here’s what will be changing in the commercial property sector.

Commercial real estate inspections open now

Potential buyers will be able to attend one-on-one inspections of offices, retail stores, warehouses, cafes, restaurants and other commercial listings in metro Melbourne from 19 October — three weeks after residential inspections were reinstated.

Real Estate Institute of Victoria president Leah Calnan told the Herald Sun they had been “pushing for private commercial real estate inspections to resume” as a priority.

“There will be many commercial tenants considering relocation for their businesses, and there will be an array of vacant properties landlords need to lease,” she said.

“This will allow commercial agents to resume to some level of normality.”

Commercial properties, such as retail and hospitality, will be allowed to be inspected from 19 October.

Retail and hospitality re-open on 1st November

Retail stores and hospitality businesses, including restaurants, cafes and pubs, will not be allowed to open up until the ‘Third Step’ begins from 11:59pm on 1 November.

Takeaway food and beverage services will continue as normal.

Under this planned step, all remaining retail will open. Restaurants, cafes and pubs will open. And personal and beauty services will be able to offer treatments to clients – as long as a face mask can be worn.

These businesses will be able to have staff onsite for a ‘dark opening’ from 28 October, giving them time to prepare to open their doors to the public

Cafes and restaurants will not reopen for dining until 1 November.

Health and beauty

Hair salons will be able to reopen for business from Monday 19 October, with strict safety protocols in place.

Allied health services, such as physiotherapy, will resume routine face-to-face care.

However, personal and beauty services will not be allowed to resume until 11:59pm on 1 November, and a face mask must be worn.

What it means for regional Victoria

Due to the progress made in containing cases in regional Victoria, hospitality businesses will be able to host up to 40 customers indoors and up to 70 outdoors from 11:59pm on Sunday 18 October.

Outdoor auctions returned in regional Victoria from 19 September, with a maximum of 10 attendees, plus staff.