As part of lockdown measures, home moves were disallowed unless they were “reasonably necessary”. The government has relaxed this requirement from 13 May 2020, and now anyone in England can now move house if they follow new guidance published by the Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick.
Estate agents’ offices can open; viewings are permitted; show homes can open and sales/lettings can proceed but guidance from Public Health England must continue to be followed. Guidance from the government on home moving during the COVID-19 outbreak can be found here.
Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, our firm has been committed to assisting clients with their transactions. All our lawyers have been able to work from home using existing agile-working capabilities. This has enabled us to continue acting for clients throughout the lockdown. For the sales and purchases that have been pressing ahead, we have included provisions in contracts to protect our client’s position in the event of delays caused if one of the parties contracted coronavirus or is required to self-isolate.