Yesterday evening, Boris Johnson announced a new ‘lockdown’ in England following a rise in coronavirus cases across the country. Nicola Sturgeon also announced similar measures earlier in the day for Scotland.

Unlike in March last year, the housing market remains open. This is confirmed in the official Government communication for England below:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home#moving-home

“Moving home

  • You can still move home. People outside your household or support bubble should not help with moving house unless absolutely necessary.
  • You can still move home. People outside your household or support bubble should not help with moving house unless absolutely necessary.
  • Estate and letting agents and removals firms can continue to work. If you are looking to move, you can go to property viewings.

The Scottish Government also published its new rules here https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/ , which includes the following statement in its list of ‘Examples of reasonable excuses to go out’:

  • for activities in connection with moving home (including viewing a property), or for activities in connection with the maintenance, purchase, sale, letting, or rental of residential property that the person owns or is otherwise responsible for.  Travelling for the purposes of undertaking essential work on a property other than your main residence should not be used as a pretext for a holiday.  You should not stay longer than for the length of time required to undertake the necessary work.

The TM home investor fund only invests in mainland UK residential properties, and currently only holds stock in England and Scotland.

Since the housing markets across all of the UK reopened after the first coronavirus lockdowns last year, Estate Agents, Letting Agents, Conveyancers, Housebuilders, and other key housing market businesses have all developed ‘Covid-secure’ methods of operating, so we do not expect the latest measures to have a negative effect on the market or the Fund.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.