Lockdown and moving house - is it actually possible?

[LeaveTheBottle]

Hi,

Quick bit of background - we are in a medium chain. All surveys and valuations done. Mortgages in, searches and enquires mostly done so waiting for the final loose ends to be tied up and then should have agreed exchange and completion dates in the next couple of weeks I would think.

Apparently everyone in the chain is keen to get things moving full steam ahead (as it stands) and nobody has yet expressed cold feet, but I am still very anxious.

If we do go into lockdown before we have a completion date set up, can we actually physically move? I hear in some countries who are in lockdown, moving house is permitted, with the necessary precautions I assume. I can't imagine removals companies being open for business though, but then maybe there is a way this could be done if we all kept our distance??... Can't see how we could do it without them.

Is there anyone in the know about this? I can't stand to think we'll be stuck here indefinitely. It's taken us a couple of years to get to this point and it's been hell. It really has been a nightmare.

TIA

@rightonthewire
Was the info you just posted very reason? My removal man just called and said he couldn't move us on Monday (he had just been pulled over by police stopping him during a move). We are due to complete on Friday (just 2 days away!) and exchanged last Friday. He said we wont be able to complete after today but I havent seen any news on this (dont want to scaremonger... I'm just worried and confused)

Yes. 3 oc this afternoon on the CLC website.

www.clc-uk.org/lawyers/coronavirus/

A lot of people keep mentioning removal men, can't you hire a van and do it yourselves instead? That way you know it's more reliable aswell. That's what we were planning.

My son has been having daily conversations with his solicitor and all the guidance they have been getting is that those who have exchanged will be ok. His removal firm are happy to go ahead but insist rightly that social distancing will be followed throughout - so, for example, they won't be in the same room as my son's family at any one time. Also they had to agree a safe procedure to hand over the keys and this has been agreed with the Estate Agents on both sides of the move.

@rightonthewire I simply can't believe a removals van was pulled over ???
the police are not stopping vehicles of any kind also it would be essential travel .

Also the police van only advise as there is no legislation in place in fact they can't even fine anyone yet the legislation is in process at the moment

My suggestion is that people moving house should print off the government statement on the CLC website, so that it could be shown to a police officer if necessary. I'm quite surprised that they would stop a removal van at this point. From what I have seen they are adopting quite a common sense approach to this.

Think removal guy got it wrong. We have exchanged so should be ok to move on Friday (just wont have a removal man to help us!) Dont have much big stuff so not a problem really. No delivery of our sofas and beds until end of April either

no police will stop you moving if you are contracted to do so lots of scaremongering going on ...they are not interested in Van's or cars

We are moving on Monday. It's a renting situation though not buying.

Estate agent is dropping the keys through the door then we are moving everything ourselves with no help aside from brother in law (who lives alone and is also self isolating).

The same Government guidance now appears on the Law Society's website with additional notes that they have added but they are largely in line with what was said before, they just stress the importance of the social distancing guidelines.

www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/advice/articles/covid-19-and-residential-conveyancing-transactions/

I am not scaremongering as I said. Simply asking for reassurance which some people are kindly giving me. I am pregnant and moving house and appreciate people helping to keep me informed.

Thank you @rightonthewire

You are welcome. I joined this forum today because:

1. My son is due to move on Friday
2. I've seen a lot of misinformation and
3. A lot of guesswork and "jumping the gun" ahead of the actual government advice However, within the next few days there will be more advice and this could make things tougher for people who haven't exchanged yet - but the best thing is to wait, rather than guess or rely on rumour.

Thanks again. As we are moving the same day as your son, I will let you know anything we get told by solictor's/estate agent if you could do the same :)

Thank you. I will update if any meaningful change.

Everything is stopped. No matter how urgent your case your not moving. Systems are a joke.

Foreverhopeful91 - I understand you are in the Scottish system where it appears there was a problem with the Registration of titles and maybe other things. As at yesterday they were supposed to be trying to sort it out. It would seem from what you say that this hasn't happened yet. I hope it gets fixed for you. Land Registry in England is still up and running although some things will take a bit longer than normal.

This is the latest on the Scottish system published today:

www.ros.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/updates/housing-transactions-completing-this-week

Foreverhopeful...
I am moving tomorrow all sorted your comments are probably based on the situation in Scotland? if you have exchanged already and have removals you are good to go

Monies have been received by solicitors today, estate agents seem happy for us to complete tomorrow as planned, solicitor happy to have everything ready for us tomorrow so looks like its go! Going to move as much as possible by car.
Just hoping the internet can still be installed on Monday as I need it to work from home.

Caramaline88

Are you scotland or England?

15:56Caramaline88 Brilliant

latest from my removal company all is cancelled after Friday he is doing all completion stuff until then if you are completing next week it's off.

sorry Caromaline ......
estate agents seem happy for us to complete tomorrow as planned..
estate agents do FA in Britain they have no say in anything after the sale it's all legal stuff...their only aim is commission the whole industry needs a fkg overhall