Inspections, Repairs and Maintenance

Essential repairs and maintenance should continue during lockdown as long as the occupiers are not self-isolating.

Government guidance specifically allows work to be carried out in peoples homes.

Gas safety inspections should be completed as normal.

The new electrical regulations which apply from 1 April 2021 for all existing tenancies in England continue as normal and the inspection and test report is required.

Fire alarm testing should continue in particular, communal hallways.

Routine periodic inspections simply checking the condition of a property should be avoided (except communal hallways)

Anybody attending works at a persons home must follow the public health guidance.

See the full government guidance about repairs and maintenance here.

Moving Home

Moving home is expressly allowed in the current lockdown (March 2021).

You are free to move home. However, you may find the process of searching for and moving into a new home is different, as property agents, conveyancers and other professionals have modified how they work to reduce the risk from COVID-19.

Please see the government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Tenants should continue to pay rent and abide by all other terms of their tenancy agreement to the best of their ability. The government has made a strong package of financial support available to tenants, and where they can pay the rent as normal, they should do. Tenants who are unable to do so should speak to their landlord at the earliest opportunity.

Source: Guidance for landlords and tenants

There is extensive support available including an uplift of the amount of Universal Credit available.

Mortgage holidays have been extended to 31 March 2021 (at the time of writing).

Guidance for landlords and tenants is available here.

Under temporary Coronavirus provisions, face to face checking a tenants right to rent has been amended to allow checking at a distance.

The following changes apply until and including 5 April 2022:

• checks can be carried out over video calls
• tenants can send scanned documents or a photo of documents for checks using email or a mobile app, rather than sending originals
• landlords should use the Landlord Checking Service if a prospective or existing tenant cannot provide any of the accepted documents

Checks continue to be necessary and you must continue to check the prescribed documents set out in Landlords Guide to Right to Rent or use the Home Office right to rent online service.For the full temporary Coronavirus guidance, please see here.