What does the second lockdown mean?
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on 31st October that a second lockdown will come into place on Thursday 5th November until at least 2nd December. As a result, a large number of businesses including hospitality and public venues are having to close again. While many elements remain the same as the first lockdown in March, for the second lockdown, schools, universities and estate agents’ offices are allowed to remain open. House moves and appraisals remain permitted, subject to social distancing. Therefore, here at James Sellicks Estate Agents, we are remaining open and will be here to run as normally as we possibly can during these unprecedented circumstances. We have some further details below to help answer your concerns:
Can I still move house during this lockdown?
· Yes, you can!
· The guidance states:
- You can still move home. Estate and letting agents and removal firms can continue to work and people looking to move home can still undertake viewings
- People outside your household or support bubble shouldn’t help with moving to a new house unless absolutely necessary.
- When moving house, it is important to follow the national guidance on moving home safely, which includes advice on social distancing and wearing a face covering.
Are property viewings permitted?
· In-person property viewings can take place. As with home moves, only members of the same household are allowed to attend physical viewings.
· No open house events are permitted.
· While a viewing takes place, the current occupiers should stand outside the property and the viewing should take no longer than 15 minutes. A member of our team will be with you during the viewing and we will remain 2 metres apart.
· We require everyone to wear a mask and gloves during the viewing, and surfaces such as door handles will be wiped down afterwards.
· We strongly advise potential buyers to access online viewings that we make available for most our properties prior to an in person viewing.
Mortgage holidays extended
The mortgage repayment holiday scheme was set to come to an end on 31 October but has now been extended for another six months. This means that customers facing difficulty repaying their mortgages can still get relief by speaking to their lenders and making an arrangement. Additionally, those who have already agreed deferments can carry on with them up to the six-month limit.
The FCA provides mortgages and coronavirus information for consumers.
If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team. We will always do our best to answer!
