Can you still move home in all local tiers?

As we come to the end of the second lockdown, the government has announced a few changes to the three-tier system that was in place previously in England.

This means that there could be different sets of restrictions that apply depending on where you live.

You may be planning on moving home soon, or perhaps are right in the middle of a move, and would like to know if or how you can still carry on with your plans.

Read on for the latest lowdown, but the short version is that the housing market remains open across all of the UK. This week’s update is specific to England, so if you live in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, make sure you stay up to date with these countries’ latest guidelines.

How do local tiers affect my move?

The good news is that the housing market is open and operating irrespective of what tier you’re in.

This means you’re totally free to move homes if you want to – as long as you’re not self-isolating or quarantining.

There are some guidelines for home-moving that apply everyone across the country. Here’s a quick recap of some of the most important ones to keep in mind:

Viewings

Try to do a virtual viewing first, if it’s an option. It’ll reduce the number of viewings agents do, which also minimises the spread of germs.

It could also save you time, because you’ll have a better idea of whether a house is worth seeing or not.

When viewing a property in person, make sure you wear a face mask, avoid touching surfaces, and wash your hands or use sanitiser before and after.

There shouldn’t be more than two households within the property at any one time, and viewings should only be arranged by appointment, so ‘open houses’ aren’t happening at the moment.

If you’re selling your home and are having interested buyers come around to have a look, open all the inside doors beforehand so they don’t have to touch the door handles.

It’s recommended that you’re not in the property during the viewing, and that you disinfect all surfaces after. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/news/articles/property-news/tier-restrictions-guidance-home-moves