Car dealerships who meet Covid-19 guidelines expected to reopen for sales on Monday

Published on 12 May, 2020

Where HSA protocols are fully met, dealerships should be able to open to sell cars from next Monday

Overview

Car dealerships whose protection of staff and customers meet stringent Covid-19 protocol guidelines should be able to sell cars from Monday, it is now understood.

There has been a lot of confusion for dealers and potential buyers around when showrooms can open for sales.

The government’s 'road map' is clear that dealers can open for repairs and servicing from Monday.

But the motor industry has failed to get clear-cut answers on when they can open to sell vehicles.

However, Independent.ie understands that the decision to open for sales can be based on how well an individual business meets the HSA-enforcible guidelines for staff, customers and premises.

It is being left to individual outlets to decide if their measures meet all details of the protocol.

Taken in the round, the road map sets out a framework which allows business, including motor dealerships, to determine how compatible they are with the guidelines.

The basic government message has been that enterprises must decide for themselves.

So where HSA protocols are fully met, dealerships should be able to open to sell cars from next Monday.

But if they are found to be short of what is required they face severe sanctions.

Industry sources say car showrooms are relatively easy to manage as they are spacious and customer visits/appointments can be managed.

The following punctuation in announcing the road map last Friday week caused confusion for the motor industry: “Shops that were previously open in Tier 2 (for example: homeware, opticians, motor, bicycle and repair, office products, electrical, IT, phone sales and repair) can open.”

As can be seen there is no mention of dealerships being allowed to start back to the business of selling and taking in trade-ins.

Many within the industry assumed that they would have to wait until June 8 at the earliest for that to happen.

Typically some of the measures put in place for many dealerships include: protective screens, hand sanitisers on all desks, sanitisation stations at all entrances, 2-metre distance markers, PPE for staff and customers with masks and gloves, full sanitisation for all touch points in cars, disposable covers on seats, steering wheel and gear stick, contactless drop-off and pick-up. Many will offer unaccompanied test drives.