HOME schooling is to blame for a lack of home buying with Fife estate agents reporting a "sluggish start" to the year in the property market.

Maloco + associates believe hard-pressed parents can't be bothered clearing rooms of jotters and study books to get their home ready for a viewing or look for somewhere new.

So they're offering to help.

Senior partner of the Dunfermline firm, Michael Maloco, explained: "The need for parents to be at home right now to home school is, I believe, one of the main reasons there’s been a more sluggish start to the year, along with of course tier 4 restrictions.

"With kitchens and family rooms strewn with books and the paraphernalia of study many just don’t want viewers visiting their homes whilst not in pristine viewing condition, nor have they the appetite after a day of teaching/supervising to view property themselves.

"All of which has led to a drop in the number of new homes coming to market and a drop in the number of viewings being arranged.

"So we thought was there anything we could do this time around to help hard pressed parents?"

The firm, based in Bonnar Street, previously offered a free will writing service to NHS Fife workers during the first lockdown, which resulted in a "huge uptake", so they've come up with another idea.

Mr Maloco said: "It’s an offer to print, totally free of charge, school work, work sheets etc that need to be printed out.

"With some of our own team home schooling we know that it can be a challenge and even those with pc’s and laptops can struggle if they don’t have access to a printer at home, and of course many don’t these days.

"To use the service all they need do is email us a PDF attachment and then pick up the print-outs once we've notified them that they're ready for collection.

"Collections are of course subject to our Covid safe protocols and people will be asked to remain outside and a team member will bring them their printing."

To take up the offer either send a message via the offer on their Facebook page or email homeschooling@maloco.co.uk