Is anyone moving now?

Author
Discussion

MrVert

Original Poster:

4,395 posts

239 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
quotequote all
Couldn't see a specific thread..

Is anyone actually still moving in the foreseeable future? Bearing in mind last nights lockdown, has this put house moves in jeopardy?


deggles

616 posts

202 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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We put an offer in on a house yesterday. Full asking price, nothing to sell and ready to move quickly with mortgage agreed. Rejected this morning in favour of a cash buyer!

Imagine there's a lot of high net worth folk dumping spare cash into bricks 'n' mortar at the moment.

Feel sorry for anyone about to exchange and/or complete on a property, do you still go ahead? confused

Celtic Dragon

3,168 posts

235 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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Just waiting on the sellers solicitors to move their ass’s and answer some questions, which so far has taken 3 weeks and counting. The only thing my side it so give the deposit and fees to my solicitor.

selym

9,544 posts

171 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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I was looking to move out of my married quarter and into my own house, 220 miles away, at some point soon. This is the situation:

I've paid for removals already which was planned for June but I asked the company last week if I could bring it forward - my daughter was due to do GCSE in a few weeks but as she is a vulnerable person she was never going back to school, so we thought we'd ask the question.

I need to arrange a march out of the quarter. This depends on how available and willing the DIO/Amey staff are to carry it out.

The house I am moving into is in rag order thanks to the last tenant so I am trying to arrange cleaning and quotes for a complete re-dec through the Letting Agent. This bit is fun as the tenant hasn't accepted the financial loss to himself yet.

It's all up in the air - hopefully we will know more in a few weeks. I must add I appreciate it's not on the scale of people who are looking to buy and sell in a chain; that must be hellish.

Kev_Mk3

2,764 posts

95 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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We made a full asking price offer mid feb which was accepted, mortgage is all ready to go just waiting on the Vendor and her solicitor to answer questions / Clarify things (eg said boiler was 6 months old - paperwork says 12 years old but serviced 3 months ago. Be really pissed off if it is 12 years old!)

They seem to be dragging it out BUT at the moment i don't mind as buying without selling even though my house is on the market and moneys getting interest in my account. Sadly viewings have been cancelled on ours until lock down has been lifted not by us but the agent to protect all which i understand.

Friend is moving friday this week, shes been told its fine to move still.

ecsrobin

17,102 posts

165 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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We put an offer on our first house mid January, the house is currently empty after refurbishment and were looking at exchanging this week (was awaiting a certificate for the electrical rewrite that has been done) and moving next week.

It’s looking like this may now not be going ahead until this blows over After the Mrs chatted to the solicitor this morning but I’m hoping something can happen as hire vans are available still and we’re going flat to 3 bed so don’t have kids to move.

InitialDave

11,882 posts

119 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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Friend was in the final stages of a purchase at present, waiting on a date,been told today that its probavly not happening until the current situation passes.

yellowbentines

5,312 posts

207 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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The issue for many will be valuations/surveys.

Many if not all surveyors will be/are cancelling appts and ceasing work, they are not deemed an essential job it seems.

If you need a mortgage, then without a valuation it isn't going to be fully approved, a decision in principle/agreement in principle is just that.

Kev_Mk3

2,764 posts

95 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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yellowbentines said:
The issue for many will be valuations/surveys.

Many if not all surveyors will be/are cancelling appts and ceasing work, they are not deemed an essential job it seems.

If you need a mortgage, then without a valuation it isn't going to be fully approved, a decision in principle/agreement in principle is just that.
Most valuations are remote now not sending people to the property. saves costs for lenders

Jack Mansfield

3,256 posts

90 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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Buying shared ownership and was supposed to moving in at some point in July, which we imagine will be delayed now... frown

Haven't had any confirmation of the site closing yet, so guess we'll wait and see what happens!

servantleader

113 posts

127 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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Had my offer on a flat in London accepted in Feb, conveyancing etc has been making progress in the background. As of last week I was all for going ahead but I have to admit I'm not so sure that it's a good idea anymore.

This isn't my 'forever' home, so if a wife and kids came along in the next 2-5 years, and I'm stuck in a 1 bed flat bought for half a million quid but worth 25% less than that after a crash, then that's my entire deposit wiped out and I'd be back to 0 again.

156651

11,574 posts

85 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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We exchange at start of March (offer above asking!)(and due to complete on 6 April, with our lease expiring 17 April.

Vendors are an elderly couple (in their 80s) moving into a new build.

Very much unclear as to what is happening. I spoke to the selling agent last week (pre-lockdown) and they refused to even raise it with the vendors - stating they are legally obliged to complete and they didn't want to worry them unnecessarily.

Dropped an e-mail to my solicitor today - not spoke to her yet, but received a voicemail that basically said "don't worry, they are legally obliged to complete".

Law society guidance to conveyancers (https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/advice/articles/covid-19-and-residential-conveyancing-transactions) states:

After exchange
If completion does not take place after contracts have been exchanged due to COVID-19, the parties not completing will be in default.

The contract provisions relating to default will apply unless the non-defaulting party takes a ‘good faith’ view.

If the transaction forms part of a chain of transactions, it may not be possible to take such a view without incurring a penalty.

We are conscious of our duty to be good citizens and the last thing I want to do is put our vendors at risk. However until they reach out to us to say they cannot complete, we need to proceed on the assumption they intend to.

If they simply cannot move, then we need to work out what position we take. I am not particularly keen on simply agreeing to delay completion, given the unknown end date for this lockdown, the considerable amount of money we would spend on rent indefinitely, and risks inherent with completing many many months after you exchange. However, we also do not want to force an elderly couple to take unnecessary risks given the present crisis.

Difficult times ...

Edited by 156651 on Tuesday 24th March 16:31

the cueball

1,197 posts

55 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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MIL is/was due to move this Friday.

Everyone still saying the move is on.

Partner was meant to go and help her mum out.. AOP with an old dog... now being told she can't go.

Not sure how the movers can work with the whole social distancing thing??

156651

11,574 posts

85 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
quotequote all
the cueball said:
MIL is/was due to move this Friday.

Everyone still saying the move is on.

Partner was meant to go and help her mum out.. AOP with an old dog... now being told she can't go.

Not sure how the movers can work with the whole social distancing thing??
They aren't. From the British Association of Removers (https://bar.co.uk/):

The PM’s latest briefing on 23rd March with regards to the developing crisis arising from the global coronavirus pandemic was absolutely clear, and in a nutshell the day to day life of the UK is now formally suspended for a period of at least 3 weeks. The question then arises as to what should happen with any moves that are either underway or booked to take place, and the recommendation of the BAR to its Members has been equally as clear as that given by the PM, and that recommendation is as follows;

The Member should only complete any moves that are underway and immediately cancel or postpone any move that has not yet started. It is evident that our collective and absolute priority now must be on ensuring the safety of the staff and customers of our Members, and of course their respective families, and so all parties must now make every immediate effort to remove the risk for mover and consumer alike at the very earliest opportunity. There will of course be many more questions asked and answers needing to be given over the next few days, but it is imperative that we react now to that very explicit instruction from the PM and we strongly encourage everyone to comply with the instructions issued by the PM, and the subsequent recommendation made by the BAR, and to keep safe and well.

We are fortunate that with no big furniture we can move ourselves without social contact. Not sure our elderly vendors with 40 years of stuff will be so lucky.

IanT530

5 posts

91 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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We were meant to be moving this Thursday. However the Register of Scotland has shut. This means that out transaction cannot go ahead. The move is paused and I just hope everyone in the chain can hold their nerve until it reopens and we can rearrange a date. Good luck everyone.

ecsrobin

17,102 posts

165 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
quotequote all
156651 said:
We are fortunate that with no big furniture we can move ourselves without social contact. Not sure our elderly vendors with 40 years of stuff will be so lucky.
We are also holding out that as we can move ourselves then the move can still go ahead.

the cueball

1,197 posts

55 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
quotequote all
156651 said:
They aren't. From the British Association of Removers (https://bar.co.uk/):

The PM’s latest briefing on 23rd March with regards to the developing crisis arising from the global coronavirus pandemic was absolutely clear, and in a nutshell the day to day life of the UK is now formally suspended for a period of at least 3 weeks. The question then arises as to what should happen with any moves that are either underway or booked to take place, and the recommendation of the BAR to its Members has been equally as clear as that given by the PM, and that recommendation is as follows;

The Member should only complete any moves that are underway and immediately cancel or postpone any move that has not yet started. It is evident that our collective and absolute priority now must be on ensuring the safety of the staff and customers of our Members, and of course their respective families, and so all parties must now make every immediate effort to remove the risk for mover and consumer alike at the very earliest opportunity. There will of course be many more questions asked and answers needing to be given over the next few days, but it is imperative that we react now to that very explicit instruction from the PM and we strongly encourage everyone to comply with the instructions issued by the PM, and the subsequent recommendation made by the BAR, and to keep safe and well.

We are fortunate that with no big furniture we can move ourselves without social contact. Not sure our elderly vendors with 40 years of stuff will be so lucky.
Thanks for that...

4 moves in the chain.. every removal company, lawyer, buyer/seller wanting it to go ahead...

madness...

Beggarall

550 posts

241 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
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We were approaching an exchange of contracts but with the current crisis every thing is going on hold till this all blows over. Could be months. The person we are buying from is having a new build and was trying to push for an early exchange with completion "on notice" probably sometime in June. Our buyers are in rented accommodation and coming to the end of their tenancy. I doubt if things will go ahead now - watch this space

156651

11,574 posts

85 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
quotequote all
the cueball said:
Thanks for that...

4 moves in the chain.. every removal company, lawyer, buyer/seller wanting it to go ahead...

madness...
It's tricky, as if you have exchanged you are contractually obliged to complete, regardless of whether the movers will move you.

jonwm

2,512 posts

114 months

Tuesday 24th March 2020
quotequote all
I posted on a similar thread.

I purchased a new build in Feb, we have first time buyers moving into ours, all going well and the exchange was due 6.3.20 and completion for this Friday (27th).

We never did exchange on the due date so things have dragged a little, backwards and forward about window and boiler certificates for my house, then last week I still had all the paperwork ready to send of, Corona hit and the wife and I have got a bit paranoid, everyone went a bit quiet until I rang the EA yesterday and she said all was still on for April.

Today I have had my solicitor on chasing paperwork so we can exchange, I questioned if this is still going ahead the next few weeks and she said absolutely, just might be more difficult to get a removal company, I went back and said I was more concerned about having a job come the end of it and she has not replied.

Long a short it seems lockdown has no impact on the housing market, especially new builds!

I'm very mixed as need a bigger house but genuinely fear for economic situation come the end and could do without being evicted from my new house in the first 12 months! smile