An estate agent has been slammed as “tone deaf” for sending out leaflets suggesting the coronavirus pandemic has been a “blessing in disguise” for the property market.
The flyers, posted on behalf of the firm JP & Brimelow, angered locals in parts of Manchester, who described the move as “insensitive”.
The leaflets said the property market has “actually fared very well this year” despite the spread of a deadly disease across the world.
The estate agent later admitted they “got it wrong” and apologised “unreservedly” in a statement, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The flyers, posted this morning, read: “Has Covid been a blessing in disguise for Chorlton and Old Trafford?”
What do you think of the leaflets? Let us know in the comments below.
(Image: Getty Images)
They added that the pandemic has brought “so much uncertainty, so much worry about jobs and of course concern over health”, but mention that the average house price of a detached home in some local areas have increased in the last year.
And the leaflets also said that, despite the unstable year, it is “all the more remarkable how the property market has performed”.
Many of those who received the flyer have shared it on social media.
One resident from Old Trafford, who asked not to be named, said the leaflets were “insensitive”.
They said: “I thought it was one of the most insensitive things I’ve seen in a long time.
“I can’t imagine what it would be like for someone who has lost someone or is struggling to then be told it’s a blessing because of the financial gain to be had.”
The resident added that the leaflet had touched a nerve – as they are recovering from Covid.
(Image: Getty Images)
They said: “I don’t know if it’s because I’ve just had Covid and I know how bad it is, but it has properly annoyed me.
“I just think it’s crass – it’s gone straight in the bin.
“There’s nothing wrong with saying that house pricing has increased, but any attempt to spin Covid positively – besides how it’s brought the community together – is appalling.
“People have lost their jobs, people are really struggling financially and are struggling to buy houses. It’s just really tone deaf.”
Councillor John Hacking, representing Chorlton, said that he felt the leaflet should stop being distributed immediately.
He added: “This is crass, insensitive and JP & Brimelow should ask themselves a question as to how this ever saw the light of day.
The estate agent apologised in a statement.
A spokesperfon for the firm’s local office said: “We would like to say a heartfelt sorry to everyone in our community who encountered our latest flyer.
“We got it wrong and for that, we apologise unreservedly.
“We have all lost loved ones due to the pandemic and we acknowledge that the flyer was not representative of the times we are living in.”
