What does Covid-19 mean for renters?

Important Information for Renters during the Covid-19 Pandemic

For the latest information on Covid-19 please refer to https://www.gov.uk/.

Latest guidance on moving home: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-guidance-on-moving-home.

Updated: 15 May 2020

Current guidance for renters: Stay Alert, Contain the Virus and Save Lives

Stay at home as much as possible
Work from home if you can
Limit contact with other people
Keep your distance if you go out (2 metres apart where possible)
Wash your hands regularly
Do not leave home if you or anyone in your household has symptoms.

View full list of FAQ’s on what you can or cannot do here.

Guidance on viewings and moving home

The latest Government advice is that you can move home if you wish to, but there are important guidelines to keep you and others safe.
Please review the specific guidance here. We have copied some of the key points below.

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.

We have also compiled the following useful guides to help you understand how the Covid-19 pandemic affects renters and flatsharers.

Stay safe and look after one another!