Moving from England to Wales during Welsh lockdown

kayannie

We have just completed on the purchase of a house in Wales, we currently live in England. We collected the key to our new property last week just before the 2 week Welsh lockdown began. We intended travelling to & fro to our new property for a few weeks, decorating etc, before moving in. However, because of the lockdown, we are not sure if we are allowed to do this or whether we must wait till the lockdown ends. We are not living in a high risk area in England, neither is our new property in Wales in a high risk area. Does anyone know what the rules are in our case?

davidmcn

Travelling to and from a second home within Wales is definitely prohibited, so I think you'd need to wait. Actually moving house is allowed (if you really have to).

From https://gov.wales/coronavirus-firebreak-frequently-asked-questions#section-53263

"Can I travel to and from my second home during the lockdown?

Until Monday 9 November at 12:01am, travel in Wales without a reasonable excuse is an offence. Travelling into, out of or within Wales to visit, check or inspect a holiday home or stay in a second home is not a reasonable excuse."

dimbo61

Your moving home so make sure you have the paperwork if stopped by the police.
Your not going for a 2 week holiday your relocating to Wales.

Vegastare

https://gov.wales/coronavirus-firebreak-frequently-asked-questions#section-53265

Under heading can I move home

Yes, if you can’t delay the moving date until after the short lockdown period is over.

Associated activities, for example, removals processes, property preparation, handover of keys, surveys and valuations can also take place in line with guidance on working in other people’s homes.

Wonder if property preparation would apply - but I would only do it once as to and fro might be seen as over the top and frankly you may have nosey neighbours ....as it also says if you can't delay moving and you are not actually moving yet - regardless of where you live or are going to live the fire break is across all of Wales.  If you were fully moving in and had to do it with in the next two weeks it would be fine.

diggingdude

If the police stop you ask them to come to my border town and arrest all the Welsh residents shopping today. In all seriousness you should be ok until a nosey neighbour decides they don't like you 

kayannie

Thank you for the comments. The Welsh property will be our permanent home, not a holiday home. I had wondered if 'property preparation' would be a valid reason for travelling there during the lockdown, but I think this probably refers to preparing a property for sale, not merely making one fit to move into. We are renting our current home in England so will have to be patient & stay here a bit longer I think.

Davesnave

I would see 'property preparation' as exactly that, regardless of whether one was the seller or the buyer. If the term isn't clear, its not for the public to deliberate over it. I'm sure Dominic Cummings would agree with me there.

As for nosy neighbours, are you Welsh, or can you do a passable Welsh accent?

Flugelhorn

we moved to new house during the England Lockdown, before selling our old house - it completed at the end of April and there was no way I was not going to check on it to make sure it was all OK. we then returned to old house to prepare it for sale .

MoneySeeker1

davidmcn said:

Travelling to and from a second home within Wales is definitely prohibited, so I think you'd need to wait. Actually moving house is allowed (if you really have to).

From https://gov.wales/coronavirus-firebreak-frequently-asked-questions#section-53263

"Can I travel to and from my second home during the lockdown?

Until Monday 9 November at 12:01am, travel in Wales without a reasonable excuse is an offence. Travelling into, out of or within Wales to visit, check or inspect a holiday home or stay in a second home is not a reasonable excuse."

OP didn't say it's a "holiday home" or "second home".

I took it that it's their new home they will live in permanently and a replacement for existing home.

So I'm glad OP has confirmed that and that would be exactly what they say to police (if they are stopped).

Personally - I'd do as I needed to do and do that preparation anyway - but just have my paperwork on me (copy kept) to show police just in case I did get stopped. 

What's your worst case analysis anyway if you did get stopped? Think/plan accordingly.

I'd be planning more on dealing with any English side of border police than vice-versa I'd say - if you'd been reading some of the "strength of feeling" against the Welsh harsher Lockdown this side of that line on the map (let's just say calling Mark Drakeford unpopular right now would definitely count as "British understatement").

davidmcn

MoneySeeker1 said:

davidmcn said:

Travelling to and from a second home within Wales is definitely prohibited, so I think you'd need to wait. Actually moving house is allowed (if you really have to).

From https://gov.wales/coronavirus-firebreak-frequently-asked-questions#section-53263

"Can I travel to and from my second home during the lockdown?

Until Monday 9 November at 12:01am, travel in Wales without a reasonable excuse is an offence. Travelling into, out of or within Wales to visit, check or inspect a holiday home or stay in a second home is not a reasonable excuse."

Personally - I'd do as I needed to do 

The point being that the OP has said they don't need to do it during the lockdown. If it were work which they had to do just now in order to prepare for an imminent fixed moving date, I could see that as justifiable. 

Flugelhorn

Had copy of  solictor's e-mails re completion on my phone if we need to show the police but as it was the only police we saw were at a motorway service station (us, them and one van) - they said a cheery "good morning"  as we walked past and that was it