Moving to girlfriend's house "permanently" during lockdown...would this be legal??

PLester

Hi all, I can understand why some may think me and my girlfriend are being sticklers for the rules too much here (as others have said to "just bloody move" in real life), but this is the scenario. I know many of you will have been making big sacrifices during this lockdown period and I hope you don't mind me trying to get clarification on the following issue.

I was abroad until mid-April and when I returned home, the lockdown had already started so I felt it responsible to self-isolate at my home (which is my parents' home) for 14 days. This is because it is my actual residence for legal purposes and because I would be able to self-isolate effectively, by having a bathroom and bedroom to myself. I thought it would be irresponsible to go to my girlfriend's at that time, even though I spend a lot of time there, because the decision to move in with a partner was supposed to be made before 23rd March when lockdown started. Also her place is much further from the airport I landed at and her parents work whereas mine are retired.

I've now been at my parents' place for 2 months since my self-isolation and my mental health is suffering due to not being able to stay with my girlfriend. I usually spend a lot of time at her house when I am between jobs or working from home. But she lives 4 hours away and is based in Wales. I haven't seen her since January.

To this point, we've resisted what we have effectively seen as "breaking" lockdown rules. Obviously people have been allowed to move home, but that seems to be limited to buying properties or new rental agreements rather than moving to a partner's house permanently for the rest of lockdown as far as I can tell. Is there any way I can legally move to her home or do I just need to continue to suck it up? I wouldn't be planning to swap homes back and forth. I would have moved to her place pre-lockdown if circumstances had allowed.

I have seen a cabinet minister confirm that people who moved pre-lockdown to spend time with family etc. are now allowed to "move home". I would suggest that if I stayed at my girlfriend's permanently for the rest of lockdown, this may effectively be the same having "temporarily" stayed at my parents' place due to necessity. However, I'm not sure if I would be acting within the spirit of the rules and obviously my girlfriend being based in Wales and both of us living with parents, confuses matters more. I saw a comment a month or so ago in response to a similar query on Reddit saying that "I do not think the government are condoning people to informally "move in" with anybody else. There are lots of people missing their partners/families right now and if everybody were to start house hopping even if they stay there for the duration of lockdown the consequences would likely be a spread of the virus." and I broadly felt the same at the time. I'm hoping we can justify me moving over to hers but we only want to do it if it's allowed, given the lengths some have gone to shield all this time etc. 

Thanks so much in advance for anyone's help!!

rosiesposies

You can move house, doesn’t matter if it’s buying selling borrowing etc

Grumpy_chap

Yes, you can move house.

Is the 5 miles restrictions still in force in Wales?

Jeremy535897

Grumpy_chap said:

Yes, you can move house.

Is the 5 miles restrictions still in force in Wales?

It may be lifted shortly. See https://gov.wales/guidance-staying-local-and-gatherings-coronavirus

I don't think the issue is one of moving house. The issue is that there will be a gathering of two or more people who are not part of the same household, inside premises, which is not allowed under the legislation.

Jeremy535897

See also https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/how-support-bubble-work-england-18400179

Placitasgirl

At the present time Wales is closed to visitors or entry from outside the country so technically what you're suggesting means that if you were stopped en route you could be turned back. As has already been pointed out you also cannot spend time in the home of another household at present; you may only "gather" or meet outdoors. 

It's likely that our First Minister will announce a softening of lockdown in his next announcement so delaying your move by a few weeks would probably mean you could make the move by perhaps the end of July legally and without risk of breaking the rules here. 

Grumpy_chap

Jeremy535897 said:

I don't think the issue is one of moving house. The issue is that there will be a gathering of two or more people who are not part of the same household, inside premises, which is not allowed under the legislation.

But if the OP does as suggested and "moves in with a partner permanently" they would then become part of the same household.

poppy12345

Grumpy_chap said:

Jeremy535897 said:

I don't think the issue is one of moving house. The issue is that there will be a gathering of two or more people who are not part of the same household, inside premises, which is not allowed under the legislation.

But if the OP does as suggested and "moves in with a partner permanently" they would then become part of the same household.

The GF lives in Wales so unless the OP also lives in Wales then they won't be able to move in because Wales is still closed to any visitors.

Jeremy535897

Grumpy_chap said:

Jeremy535897 said:

I don't think the issue is one of moving house. The issue is that there will be a gathering of two or more people who are not part of the same household, inside premises, which is not allowed under the legislation.

But if the OP does as suggested and "moves in with a partner permanently" they would then become part of the same household.

Yes, but households were effectively fixed at lockdown. You can't change them.

silvercar

Jeremy535897 said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Yes, you can move house.

Is the 5 miles restrictions still in force in Wales?

It may be lifted shortly. See https://gov.wales/guidance-staying-local-and-gatherings-coronavirus

I don't think the issue is one of moving house. The issue is that there will be a gathering of two or more people who are not part of the same household, inside premises, which is not allowed under the legislation.

From your link:
"If you are not providing care to a vulnerable person, this does not necessarily mean that visiting someone outside your local area is not allowed. If there are compassionate reasons for visiting someone, we consider these to be circumstances where you will still have a reasonable excuse to leave your local area.

You may have compassionate reasons for visiting someone where that person is struggling with the lockdown generally, or they may be suffering from a physical or mental illness; have suffered a bereavement or you may be concerned about their general wellbeing or welfare."

To me that suggests it would be allowed to travel outside the immediate area.

The other way to look at it is that she could travel to you under those guidelines above and become part of your household ( under the rules that allow people to move into a new place). You two are then a household and can then move back to Wales. Given the rules on avoiding unnecessary travel, you could both then decide that her making the journey is unnecessary and so you just move in with her.

silvercar

poppy12345 said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Jeremy535897 said:

I don't think the issue is one of moving house. The issue is that there will be a gathering of two or more people who are not part of the same household, inside premises, which is not allowed under the legislation.

But if the OP does as suggested and "moves in with a partner permanently" they would then become part of the same household.

The GF lives in Wales so unless the OP also lives in Wales then they won't be able to move in because Wales is still closed to any visitors.

It isn't closed to visitors. There are no border controls!
I visited Wales last week in a visit that followed the rules and judging by the traffic over the bridge (lower volume than normal, but a steady stream) Wales certainly isn't closed.