Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has confirmed that the property market will remain open despite the impending second national lockdown in England.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has confirmed that the housing market will remain open despite the looming national lockdown.
On Saturday Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed a new month-long lockdown for England beginning on November 5 and ending on December 2.
Information regarding the fate of the housing market during the lockdown was initially scarce between, however Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has taken to Twitter over the weekend to confirm that the market will remain open.
On Sunday evening Jenrick confirmed that property moves would still be allowed and that tradespeople would still be able to enter properties.
Housing market update ahead of Thursday’s measures:
🏡 Renters & homeowners will be able to move
📦 Removal firms and estate agents can operate
👷🏻♀️Construction sites can and should continue
🔧Tradespeople will be able to enter homes
📋But all must follow the Covid safety guidance
— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) November 1, 2020
The residential property surveying industry has also received confirmation from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government that physical property inspections can continue to be provided.
Additionally the Prime Minister confirmed that mortgage repayment holidays will no longer be ending with further information published set to be published today.
Kate Davies, executive director of IMLA, praised the government for keeping the market open in challenging times.
She said: “While the country faces a second national lockdown, the government has rightly decided to keep Britain’s housing market open.
"Lenders, advisers, surveyors, and conveyancers are already experiencing unprecedented levels of demand from consumers eager to take advantage of the government’s Stamp Duty holiday, which is due to end on 31 March 2021, and also the Help to Buy scheme, which will be available only to first-time buyers from 1 April 2021.
"They now face the task of helping thousands more consumers potentially requesting payment deferrals as borrowers struggle to meet their mortgage repayments during the lockdown.
"Closing the housing market at this time would have only added to this pressure on the sector by creating yet another backlog of demand once lockdown ends.”
