Question: Are there any restrictions on house buying or home moving during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
section_headers: Advice to the public
5. Agreeing to move
section_content: More detail on progressing the individual elements of the home buying and
selling or rental process and how this applies to different groups is set out
in the next section.
Once you have agreed to move home by exchanging contracts or signing a tenancy
agreement, you have entered into a legal agreement to move. We encourage all
parties to be as flexible as possible over this period and be prepared to
delay moves if needed, for example if someone becomes ill with coronavirus
during the moving process or has to self-isolate. You should not expect to
move into any home where people are ill or self-isolating.

Your legal adviser should be able to help you to ensure that any contract you enter into has sufficient flexibility to allow the purchase to be delayed in the event that an individual in one of the parties contracts coronavirus or has to self-isolate.
We encourage you to be as flexible as possible if you are asked to delay your move, and in turn, you can speak to your legal advisor about this.


Reviewer feedback on this answer:
Discusses home buying in regards to what should happen after a transaction is made, but only that aspect only
The answer briefly touches on what to do if you come down with coronavirus while in the process of moving, but it doesn't at all address how to go through the home buying process safely during COVID.

Reviewer ratings:
Acceptable
Could be Improved

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
section_headers: Advice to the public
What does this mean for my property move or purchase which is scheduled whilst measures to fight coronavirus apply?
section_content: More detail on progressing the individual elements of the home buying and
selling or rental process and how this applies to different groups is set out
in the next section.
People are free to move home, however the process of finding and moving into a
new home is likely to be different, as those involved in the process will need
to adapt practices and procedures to ensure that the risk of spread of
coronavirus is reduced as far as possible. It is vital that everyone stays
alert and safe.

Initial viewings should be done virtually wherever this is possible and property agents should help you to do this.
All physical viewings should be limited to members of the same household and open house viewings should not take place.
When physically viewing properties, where possible, you should avoid touching surfaces, wash your hands regularly, and bring your own hand sanitiser. The number of people on a viewing should be minimised to those from your household that absolutely have to be there. If you need to be accompanied by small children, you should try to keep them from touching surfaces and ensure they wash their hands regularly.
If people are being shown around your current home, you should open all internal doors and ensure surfaces, such as door handles, are cleaned after each viewing with standard household cleaning products.
As most people choose to, we recommend that you vacate your property whilst viewings are taking place in order to minimise your contact with those not in your household.
Anyone involved in any aspect of the home moving process should practice social distancing in line with public health advice.
When moving between properties, you and those in your household should try to do as much of the packing yourself as you can. Where this is not possible, you should speak to removal firms in advance. There is further advice about this below.
If you are particularly worried about the risk of infection, then speak to the professionals involved, your landlord, estate agent or removers as they may be able to put in place extra measures.

Everyone involved in the moving process must follow social
distancing to minimise the
spread of the virus.

Reviewer feedback on this answer:
Discusses moving and house buying and gives excellent details on what people should do
The question asks about the home buying process, and the answer goes into a great deal of detail concerning ways to go through the home buying process safely during COVID.

Reviewer ratings:
Excellent
Excellent

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
section_headers: Advice to the public
4. Property searches and surveys
section_content: More detail on progressing the individual elements of the home buying and
selling or rental process and how this applies to different groups is set out
in the next section.
Your legal representative should be able to carry out searches on your
property online in order to progress your transaction and you can contact them
to discuss likely timescales.
Your surveyor can undertake surveys of the property you wish to purchase.
There are no restrictions on the types of survey that can be carried out and
you should talk to your surveyor to understand the most appropriate type of
survey for the home you intend to purchase.
On custom and self build projects, surveyors can visit plots you wish to
purchase and undertake valuations to support the release of staged payment
mortgages.

Surveyors should not enter a property where a member of the household is showing symptoms of coronavirus or self-isolating.
Where possible we encourage inspections to take place by appointment only, with one person visiting the property at any time. Surveyors should follow government guidance for professionals working in other people’s homes and guidance on social distancing.
If your home is being surveyed, you should ensure the surveyor has access to all the parts of the property they need to inspect, and make efforts to minimise contact with the surveyor, for example by staying in another room whilst they are inspecting your home.


Reviewer feedback on this answer:
Directly discusses the precautions people should take when buying homes
While the answer does address a piece of the home buying process, it only talks about the one piece - surveying. It doesn't address showings, and other aspects of the home buying process.

Reviewer ratings:
Excellent
Could be Improved