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Lockdown Latest: Rental Market Open for Business
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has announced that the rental market in England will stay open during the new four-week lockdown starting 5th November. Renters remain able to move, letting agents and removal firms can continue to do their jobs, and property maintenance and repair contractors, cleaners and inventory clerks can enter properties, providing they adhere to COVID-secure guidelines.
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has announced that the rental market in England is to stay open during the new four-week lockdown starting 5th November.
According to Jenrick, renters remain able to move, letting agents and removal firms can continue to do their jobs, and property maintenance and repair contractors, cleaners and inventory clerks can enter properties, providing they adhere to COVID-secure guidelines.
What’s more, home moves can go ahead, regardless of whether they were agreed before or after the commencement of the latest national lockdown.
Official guidance on moving home unchanged
With the official guidance on moving home during the pandemic remaining unchanged, viewings of rented properties will be allowed. It is however important that tenants, landlords and letting agents are aware of and follow the government’s guidance on coronavirus and renting, which contains further advice that may also be applicable, covering the likes of possession proceedings, repairs, maintenance and health and safety.
Still, the move to leave the property market intact would suggest that the government has learned following the first lockdown that keeping it moving is too important an element of the economy to be constrained.
Mark Hayward, Chief Executive, NAEA Propertymark, said: “We welcome the news that the housing market is to remain open throughout this second lockdown period, and it is essential that all agents continue to play their part in reducing the spread of the virus through following all relevant guidance.”
Landlords will also be pleased to learn that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be extended throughout the second lockdown, and the mortgage holiday programme will continue for a further six months for new applicants, so stretching the financial lifeline for tenants.
Government advice for property professionals during lockdown
Government advice to property industry professionals urges all businesses to follow the latest guidance for employers and businesses on COVID-19 and safer working guidance.
All professionals are encouraged to familiarise themselves with relevant government direction, plus any supplementary advice issued by their representative bodies.
It is crucial that all businesses work in unison to ensure the government stay alert to stay safe guidance is followed, so as to minimise the spread of infection. This means thinking carefully about how to operate in a way that reduces the need for face to face contact.
For landlords and agents marketing properties, it is important to avoid ‘back to back’ viewings so that adequate time is allowed for sanitisation between each visit. Where possible, virtual viewings should be prioritised.
Further resources
Full guidance for private landlords, letting agents, estate agents, new build developers, tradespeople, conveyancers, removals firms, surveyors, EPC assessors and social landlords can be found here.
In particular for private landlords and letting agents, it is important to prioritise tenants’ safety. The government has provided guidance to help them safely let properties, but is encouraging landlords and agents to try to find ways to sustain existing tenancies wherever possible, where this is the tenant’s preference.
The following resources should prove useful for landlords and letting agents with a view to keeping things moving safely during this most recent lockdown:
- Social distancing guidelines
- Official guidelines on working in other people’s homes
- COVID-19 decontamination in non-healthcare settings
- Temporary COVID-19 measures adjusting right to rent checks
Keep things moving with help from homes2let
The pandemic, and lockdown periods in particular, can be very challenging times for landlords and letting agents, especially from a financial perspective.
If you are looking for a way to remove not just the financial uncertainty, but also all the day to day hassle of property letting and management, why not take a look at our guaranteed rent scheme? With zero fees, no commission and rent paid in full every month even during void periods, the benefits are extensive.
To learn more about how homes2let can ease the burden of rental property management during these difficult times, you are welcome to get in touch.
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