United Kingdom: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

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Yale University EliScholar – A Digital Platform for Scholarly Publishing at Yale YPFS Documents (Series 1) Browse by Media Type 3-26-2020 Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak United Kingdom: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Follow this and additional works at: https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ypfs-documents Recommended Citation United Kingdom: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, "Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak" (2020). YPFS Documents (Series 1). 8613. https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ypfs-documents/8613 This Document is brought to you for free and open access by the Browse by Media Type at EliScholar – A Digital Platform for Scholarly Publishing at Yale. It has been accepted for inclusion in YPFS Documents (Series 1) by an authorized administrator of EliScholar – A Digital Platform for Scholarly Publishing at Yale. For more information, please contact elischolar@yale.edu. GOV.UK1. Home (https://www.gov.uk/web/20200330143135/https://www.gov.uk/)2. Housing, local and community (https://www.gov.uk/web/20200330143135/https://www.gov.uk/housing-local-and-community)3. Housing (https://www.gov.uk/web/20200330143135/https://www.gov.uk/housing-local-and-community/housing)4. Homebuying (https://www.gov.uk/web/20200330143135/https://www.gov.uk/housing-local-and-community/homebuying)GuidanceGovernment advice on home moving during thecoronavirus (COVID-19) outbreakThis guidance applies to people buying or selling private residential homes which they intend to live in.Published 26 March 2020From:Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (https://www.gov.uk/web/20200330143135/https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-housing-communities-and-local-government)ContentsBuying and selling homes during this stay-at-home periodAdvice to the publicAdvice to industryBuying and selling homes during this stay-at-home periodGiven the situation in the UK with regard to the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), we urge parties involvedin home moving to adapt and be flexible to alter their usual processes.There is no need to pull out of transactions, but we all need to ensure we are following guidance to stay athome and away from others at all times, including the specific measures for those who are presentingsymptoms, self-isolating or shielding. Prioritising the health of individuals and the public must be the priority.Where the property being moved into is vacant, then you can continue with this transaction although youshould follow the guidance in this document on home removals.Where the property is currently occupied, we encourage all parties to do all they can to amicably agreealternative dates to move, for a time when it is likely that stay-at-home measures against coronavirushttps://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-advice-on-home-moving-during-the-coronavGo FEB MAR APR302019 2020 2021130 captures👤 ⍰❎f 🐦27 Mar 2020 - 10 Nov 2020 ▾ About this captureGovernment advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVI... https://web.archive.org/web/20200330143135/https://www.gov.uk/g...1 of 5 11/12/20, 2:49 PM(COVID-19) will no longerIn the new emergency enforcement powers that the police have been given to respond to coronavirus, there isan exemption for critical home moves, in the event that a new date is unable to be agreed.Recognising parties will need to alter common practice, we have sought to ease this process for all involvedby:1. Issuing this guidance, developed with Public Health England, to home buyers and those involved in theselling and moving process.2. Agreeing with banks that mortgage offers should be extended where delay to completions takes place inorder to prioritise safety.3. Working with conveyancers to develop a standard legal process for moving completion dates.Advice to the publicWhat does this mean for my property move which is scheduled whilst the stay-at-homemeasures to fight coronavirus (COIVD-19) apply?Home buyers and renters should, where possible, delay moving to a new house while measures are inplace to fight coronavirus (COVID-19).Our advice is that if you have already exchanged contracts and the property is currently occupied then allparties should work together to agree a delay or another way to resolve this matter.If moving is unavoidable for contractual reasons and the parties are unable to reach an agreement todelay, people must follow advice on staying away from others to minimise the spread of the virus.In line with government’s advice, anyone with symptoms, self-isolating or shielding from the virus, shouldfollow medical advice which will mean not moving house for the time being, if at all possible. All partiesshould prioritise agreeing amicable arrangements to change move dates for individuals in this group, orwhere someone in a chain is in this group.What if an extension goes beyond the terms of a mortgage agreement?UK Finance have today confirmed that, to support customers who have already exchanged contracts for housepurchases and set dates for completion, all mortgage lenders are working to find ways to enable customerswho have exchanged contracts to extend their mortgage offer for up to 3 months to enable them to move at alater date.If a customer’s circumstances change during this 3 month period or the terms of the house purchase changesignificantly and continuing with the mortgage would cause house buyers to face financial hardship, lenderswill work with customers to help them manage their finances as a matter of urgency.If your home is not yet on the marketGetting your home onto the market may be more challenging than usual in this period. There should be novisitors to your home.You can speak to estate agents over the phone and they will be able to give you general advice about the localGo FEB MAR APR302019 2020 2021130 captures👤 ⍰❎f 🐦27 Mar 2020 - 10 Nov 2020 ▾ About this captureGovernment advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVI... https://web.archive.org/web/20200330143135/https://www.gov.uk/g...2 of 5 11/12/20, 2:49 PMproperty market and handhome in the usual manneIf you are thinking about selling, you can use this time to start gathering together all of the information youwill need to provide to potential purchasers.Advice for people to stay at home and away from others means you should not invite unnecessary visitorsinto your home, including: property agents to carry out a market appraisal or take internal photographsprior to marketing your home; and Energy Performance Certificate assessors.ViewingsIf your property is already on the market, you can continue to advertise it as being for sale but you should notallow people in to view your property.There should not be any visitors into your home, and you should therefore not let people visit yourproperty for viewings. Your agent may be able to conduct virtual viewings and you could speak to themabout this possibility.Accepting offersThe buying and selling process can continue during this period but you should be aware that the process islikely to take longer than normal.You are free to continue to accept offers on your property, however the selling process may take longer.Advice for people to stay at home and away from others means you should not invite visitors into yourhome, including prospective buyers or advisors.Exchanging contractsOnce you have exchanged contracts, you have entered into a legal agreement to purchase that home.If the property you are purchasing is unoccupied you can continue with the transaction.If the property you are purchasing is currently occupied, we recommend that all parties should work toeither delay the exchange of contracts until after the period where stay-at-home measures to fightcoronavirus (COVID-19) are in place, or include explicit contractual provisions to take account of the riskspresented by the virus.Advice to industryAll businesses must follow the government’s latest guidance for employers and businesses on coronavirus(COVID-19) (https://web.archive.org/web/20200330143135/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19).Estate agentsEstate agents should ensure they are able to support clients during this period:Agents should work with their clients and other agents to broker a new date to move where sales are dueGo FEB MAR APR302019 2020 2021130 captures👤 ⍰❎f 🐦27 Mar 2020 - 10 Nov 2020 ▾ About this captureGovernment advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVI... https://web.archive.org/web/20200330143135/https://www.gov.uk/g...3 of 5 11/12/20, 2:49 PMures are in place to fighting from the virus, andthose they are in chain with, to agree a new date.In line with advice for certain businesses to close, agents should not open branches to the public duringthis period, or visit people’s homes to carry out market appraisals.Agents should ensure that employees can work from home, to support existing clients and advisepotential new clients.Agents should continue to progress sales where this can be done whilst following guidance to stay athome and away from others.Agents should advise clients to be patient and not to exchange contracts unless the contracts haveexplicit terms to manage the timing risks presented by the virus.ConveyancersConveyancers should continue to support the sales process as far as possible and should make sure theirclients are aware of the difficulties of completing transactions in this period:Conveyancers should continue to support the sales of unoccupied properties as far as possible.Conveyancers should make every effort to support clients who are due to complete on occupiedproperties in the stay-at-home period to change this date.Conveyancers should advise their clients who are ready to move not to exchange contracts on anoccupied property unless they have made explicit provision for the risks presented by the virus.Conveyancers should prioritise supporting anyone with symptoms, self-isolating or shielding from thevirus and those they are in chain with, and we urge them to do all they can to help a new date to beagreed in these circumstances.SurveyorsSurveyors should not expect to carry out non-urgent surveys in homes where people are in residence, and noinspections should take place if any person in the property is showing symptoms, self-isolating or beingshielded.It may be possible to carry out some of your work online and also carry out urgent surveys on emptyproperties, or those where the occupants are out of the property or following guidance to stay at home andaway from others.Surveyors should follow the latest government guidance which currently (26 March 2020) states that workcarried out in people’s homes can continue, provided the tradesperson is well and has no symptoms ofcoronavirus (COVID-19).It is important to ensure government guidelines are followed, including maintaining a 2 metre distancefrom others, and washing their hands with soap and water often for at least 20 seconds (or using handsanitiser gel if soap and water is not available).No work should be carried out by a person who has coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, however mild.Removals firmsGo FEB MAR APR302019 2020 2021130 captures👤 ⍰❎f 🐦27 Mar 2020 - 10 Nov 2020 ▾ About this captureGovernment advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVI... https://web.archive.org/web/20200330143135/https://www.gov.uk/g...4 of 5 11/12/20, 2:49 PMThere will be people who have already committed to moving home; where possible we are encouraging themto delay their move but a small number of moves may need to go ahead. We would urge everyone to take allsensible precautions to enRemovers should honour their existing commitments where it is clear that the move can be done safelyfor the client and your own staff and it is clear that the moving date cannot be moved.Removers should follow the latest government guidance which currently (26 March 2020) states that workcarried out in people’s homes can continue, provided the tradesperson is well and has no symptoms orcoronavirus (COVID-19).It is important to ensure government guidelines are followed, including maintaining a 2 metre distancefrom others, and washing their hands with soap and water often for at least 20 seconds (or using handsanitiser gel if soap and water is not available).No work should be carried out by a person who has coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, however mild.Published 26 March 2020Explore the topicHomebuying (https://www.gov.uk/web/20200330143135/https://www.gov.uk/housing-local-and-community/homebuying)Go FEB MAR APR302019 2020 2021130 captures👤 ⍰❎f 🐦27 Mar 2020 - 10 Nov 2020 ▾ About this captureGovernment advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVI... https://web.archive.org/web/20200330143135/https://www.gov.uk/g...5 of 5 11/12/20, 2:49 PM

Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

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Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

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