Due to exchange and complete on house sale

nshawville

Hi all,

My partner and I are due to exchange and complete on our house purchase on Monday, and the Seller is ready to go (their tenants have vacated). We have served notice in our tenancy and must leave in April, but we have seen advice that says removal vans are being advised not to proceed during the current measures imposed by Government.

We want to do the right thing, but also need to weigh logistics of being able to move with practicalities of:

- possibility delays may mean seller withdraws
- potential for lender to withdraw mortgage offer during current climate
- fact our tenancy will end in April
- we are adhering to government measures and it’s unclear if moving house is ‘essential’

Any suggestions/thoughts?

thanks 

selina2000

nshawville said:

Hi all,

My partner and I are due to exchange and complete on our house purchase on Monday, and the Seller is ready to go (their tenants have vacated). We have served notice in our tenancy and must leave in April, but we have seen advice that says removal vans are being advised not to proceed during the current measures imposed by Government.

We want to do the right thing, but also need to weigh logistics of being able to move with practicalities of:

- possibility delays may mean seller withdraws
- potential for lender to withdraw mortgage offer during current climate
- fact our tenancy will end in April
- we are adhering to government measures and it’s unclear if moving house is ‘essential’

Any suggestions/thoughts?

thanks 

Stay Home, Save Lives!

Jeremy535897

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/03/can-you-move-house-during-the-coronavirus-lockdown/

HornetSaver

selina2000 said:

nshawville said:

Hi all,

My partner and I are due to exchange and complete on our house purchase on Monday, and the Seller is ready to go (their tenants have vacated). We have served notice in our tenancy and must leave in April, but we have seen advice that says removal vans are being advised not to proceed during the current measures imposed by Government.

We want to do the right thing, but also need to weigh logistics of being able to move with practicalities of:

- possibility delays may mean seller withdraws
- potential for lender to withdraw mortgage offer during current climate
- fact our tenancy will end in April
- we are adhering to government measures and it’s unclear if moving house is ‘essential’

Any suggestions/thoughts?

thanks 

Stay Home, Save Lives!

No matter how well intended - and in the vast majority of cases correct - this just isn't helpful advice. If someone has had the foresight to come to MSE forums to ask a question, then they are aware that stay at home is an instruction and that there are very few circumstances where they shouldn't. What they are trying to understand is the extent to which it applies to their abnormal - and/or personally important - situations, and "do I move to the property I'm buying" definitely fits into the category of "fair question". 

@nshawville as the link above suggests, if you haven't exchanged, you must pause. If you have exchanged, at this moment it's still a grey area (because you've contractually agreed to do move on a given date but other parties involved in the process of a house move may or may not still be operating - only your solicitor can guide you here). I note you say exchange and complete on the same day - this is unusual in the UK so do need to query if you've already exchanged and are awaiting completion.

If you have exchanged, my personal recommendation would be, once you've confirmed the move can still happen, to rent a van that you drive yourself and make a couple of trips (because it sounds like you don't have to do it all in one day).

If you haven't exchanged, I would gently suggest that it would be an unusual landlord who would actively be looking to insist that you still leave in April, provided you've always paid on time, due to the unlikelihood of being able to replace you.

Jeremy535897

Excellent advice above. I would just add that eviction proceedings won't be allowed for three months.