Scotland’s move to a Temporary Lockdown on 5th January 2021 will not impact on house moves under the current government guidelines. Assuming no further changes are announced, house moves can continue to take place across Scotland, provided they can be carried out safely. The latest published guidance permits moving in all protection levels, and to and from areas with different levels.
What we should outline is that property viewings are to be done virtually in the first instance. As such, providing video walkthroughs and 360 virtual tours (as Evergreen does) is vital. Taking account of the new strain of the virus it may be advisable to postpone viewings of properties or delay a home move, where covid-safe measures can’t be put in place.
So, what am I actually allowed to do?
The current guidance states that people can move home and undertake activities in connection with the purchase, sale, letting or rental of a residential property including:
- visiting estate or letting agents, housing association or council offices, developer sales offices or show homes (although virtual appointments are strongly encouraged)
- viewing a residential property to look for a property to buy or rent (again, virtual tours are strongly encouraged in the first instance)
- preparing a residential property to move in
- moving home
- visiting a residential property to undertake any activities required for the rental or sale of that property.
Importantly, this is also only if all people involved in the transaction are free of any coronavirus symptoms and neither they nor any of their household are self-isolating. People must also adhere to the physical distancing regulations and guidance.
The Scottish Government has reiterated the point that, although you can leave home for these purposes, the advice remains that you should stay as close to home as possible in order to protect the NHS and save lives.
