Should we go ahead with our house move?

[Rozbos]

I thought I would throw this out to the hive mind and get other people's opinions because it feels like ours are at odds with everyone else's!

We are due to move next week, exchange on the Monday, complete on the Tuesday. Everyone else in the chain still wants to go ahead with the move despite Coronavirus and the fact that we should only be leaving the house if essential - eg for food shopping. To us moving house, whilst something we are desperate to do, doesn't fall into this category so we have said we want to postpone until restrictions are lifted.

Added to this our removal company are part of the BAR so have followed their advice and stopped doing removals as of last night and in line with Boris's announcement. Everyone else in our chain however think we are being incredibly unreasonable and that we should just find another removal company and use them and just get the move done. It's a chain of 7 and we are the only ones thinking thy is way so I am now beginning to doubt myself so help - what should we do?!

[SapphireSalute]

Stick to your guns!!

It’s not essential

[OldUnit]

My family have just been through this last week. I would speak to your solicitor, it was made VERY clear to everyone in our chain that we were legally bound to complete and move after exchanging contracts DESPITE coronavirus. They had examined the appropriate legal standing on this. Each seller/buyer in the change was told very clearly that for every day they stalled after the agreed completion date they would be charged a percentage (of something) and as I recall, forfeit a deposit.
Please consult outside Mumsnet.

[Tippexy]

In your case I would go ahead.

[OldUnit]

And also, just because you're not bothered about moving it might mean the chain completely collapsing and at least 7 families lives being thrown into complete chaos....if their sales fall through now, they potentially won't be able to re sell for up to 12 months.
Thousands will have been spent already on surveys etc....if you can, morally, I would.

[Qwerty543]

If I was in that chain I'd be pretty pissed off at you. You'll cause the whole thing to collapse. You won't be in the middle of crowds, I can't see the issue tbh.

[Rozbos]

To clarify, we have not exchanged.

[Rozbos]

Also @OldUnit I have said we are desperate to move and indeed we have accommodated at least 15 different potential dates and agreed to every single one. We suggested moving last week as it was clear that this situation was coming but no one wanted to do that. This isn't because we don't want to at all!

[ComtesseDeSpair]

Moving now isn’t ideal but I can see why everyone’s keen to go ahead - they’ll have spent thousands of pounds already and I think it’s almost certain that the chain will collapse if you don’t carry on as planned, somebody will get cold feet about potential negative equity, or lose their job, or any number of things.

[OlaEliza]

If people can go out for a walk every day under UK rules, I'm sure you can move.

[BigChocFrenzy]

Consult your solicitor for legal advice, not Mumsnet !

However, IF they confirm you have not legally exchanged contracts and are not legally obliged to do anything,
then it is entirely your choice

[Shoxfordian]

Yeah I think you should do it now as well

[SapphireSalute]

Are all the people involved with a house move essential workers of working from home?

Why are moving companies still working?
Who else needs to be physically there in the middle of it all?

Message isn’t getting through is it

[Rozbos]

@SapphireSalute, that's our feeling. If we are supposed to be staying in the house then it's surely against advice to have multiple teams of movers going all over the place, key exchanges etc.

@BigChocFrenzy of course we have sought legal advice, we are discussing with our solicitor on a daily basis. That's the reason that we did not give in to the demands of the rest of the chain and exchange last week. Our solicitor is of the opinion that it will probably be possible to go ahead however her interpretation of the Boris announcement was the same as ours therefore she thinks it is against what was requested of us as a country.

[UseByDateExpired]

If you can find another removal co I would do it,

Observe social distancing from the removal team, be ready with a spray bottle of cleaner to blitz taps and surfaces in new house, and get on with it.

[hoxt]

Can you exchange on the Monday still, but delay completion?

[imabusybee]

Oh gosh I'd be cross too if I was in your chain. The impact of CV could be that people aren't eligible to borrow the same amount (due to reduced earnings) or are living on savings (due to being self employed and unable to work). The ramifications for SIX other families could be massive! I think YABU

[Russell19]

I'd just move if I was you. Hire a van and do your own removals. Why do you need a company?

[firawla]

I’d still move

[Rozbos]

@Russell19 moving ourselves would not be possible, moving from a five bedroom house with three young children. We need a company.

@hoxt, that would put us in a far more dangerous position as liable to pay 10% of the purchase price of the house we are buying of the chain subsequently collapsed.

[Conrad79]

Please still move.

you’re so lucky you are able to!

[SapphireSalute]

Less than 3 weeks we will be in Italy’s position

A house move means sky/virgin fitting WiFi and tv.... furniture deliveries....people people people

Nobody is listening..... why do you think the excel centre has been commissioned as a hospital ( part of it has, the rest of it is a makeshift MORGUE)

Nobody is bothered, such complacency

[Dragongirl10]

Personally l would still move, as fast as humanly possible.
You can do without people coming in to the house for deliveries, put them on hold, but all the people in the chain will be left hanging if you withdraw as will you.

[TigerJoy]

I am with @SapphireSalute

Things wil get much, much worse before they get better. Stay at home. Flatten the curve

[witheringrowan]

The British Association of Removers (BAR) has issued communications this morning instructing members that moves should only be completed if they are already underway, any move that has not yet started, should not go ahead.

bar.co.uk/

The Ministry of HOusing, Communities and Local Government have also said that any moves should not go ahead.

www.arla.co.uk/news/march-2020/mhclg-guidance-for-the-sector/

[Lolapusht]

You haven’t exchanged so don’t. There are no guarantees that you will all be able to physically complete on the agreed date. There are too many variables...will everyone be able to find removal companies...will anyone be self-isolating...will someone be hospitalised? If you all exchange and someone starts feeling ill, will they be ok with not completing so they can isolate themselves or will they just crack on and possibly infect god knows how many people?

How are you physically going to be able to move and keep 2m away from non-household members? You will need to disinfect every single surface touched by someone not in your household. Is the house you are moving to free from coronavirus?

You would be able to exchange and attach an appropriately drafted rider to cover C19 issues that delay completion, but everyone would have to agree to the wording of the rider and you may be delayed for weeks and then find you can’t move anyway.

It completely sucks and yes everyone will be pssed off at you, but this is not* a normal situation. Normal rules don’t apply. People thinking the rules don’t apply to them are why this is going to take longer to get through and hundreds, if not thousands, of people are going to die who didn’t need to.

Do not exchange. Do not move.

STAY AT HOME.