News

The Housing Secretary has announced the housing market can reopen, re-starting the housing market in line with social distancing advice.

Today there will be a change to the regulations on moving home, removing the previous stipulation that homes moves can only happen where reasonably necessary. Anyone in England can now move home if they follow new guidance.

Key points

• Estate and lettings agents’ offices can open; viewings are permitted; show homes can open;
• All buyers and renters will now be able to complete purchases and view properties in person;
• Other essential parts of the sales and letting process are re-started with immediate effect;
• Removal firms and conveyancers can restart operations.
• Guidance from Public Health England must continue to be followed. For example, anyone advised to self-isolate should continue to do so and not move home.
• Government guidance makes clearthat tradespeople can operate in homes, provided they do so in line with health guidance.
• Agents should refer to latest Government guidance ‘Working safely during coronavirus. Guidance to help employers, employees and the self-employed understand how to work safely during the coronavirus pandemic’.Many businesses will need to use more than one of these guides, we expect that most agents will need to use the ‘Offices and Contact centres’ guidance as well as ‘Other people’s homes’

**Updated** Guidance on home moving during the coronavirus

The guidance, ‘Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak’ (13 May 2020) contains advice for agents, movers and removal companies. It comes with the caveat that it may also become necessary to pause all home moves for a short period of time to manage the spread of the coronavirus.