Wrong move
Piers Morgan says he can book 50 viewings of houses ‘full of families’ as he slams decision to reopen property market
PIERS Morgan has blasted the Government's "nonsensical" decision to reopen the housing market as lockdown rules are eased today.
Estate agents have been given the green light to show buyers and renters around properties providing they stick to the two-metre social distancing guidelines.
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The move has infuriated Good Morning Britain host Piers, who vented about it on the show this morning.
He said: "So much of it seems nonsensical. I can go and book 50 different appointments today to see 50 houses full of random families.
"If I wanted to buy a house quickly, technically I could go and do this. I could spend all day going round 50 different homes, with different different estate agents and 50 different families maintaining social distance in the houses.
"And yet what I can't do, if my parents are selling theirs, I can't go around their house because that is against the law and I will be fined."
It echoes a tweet he posted last night, hitting back at claims "common sense" is needed when interpreting the new rules.
And later in the show Piers joked he's employing one of his sons as a part-time estate agent so he could see him.
The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 state that people may leave their home "to undertake any of the following activities in connection with the purchase, sale, letting or rental of a residential property".
This includes showing people round their homes, viewing homes to potentially buy or rent, visiting estate or letting agents, developer sales offices or show homes and moving house.
Property expert Henry Pryor told The Sun Online: "Four million households rent homes on 12 month leases - many of which will be coming up to renewal.
"Many people have to move for lots of different reasons so this is great news especially for estate agents, many of whom haven’t eaten for seven weeks.
"What we don’t know is what will happen to prices and to rents. Will buyers be happy to commit or will tenants have less money to offer in rent?
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"Big questions for the biggest asset class in the country that touches us all. Prices look like they will drop five per cent immediately. What is less clear is whether they will fall further by Christmas."
It's also worth noting the rules are different in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. In Scotland and Wales, home movers are encouraged to delay doing so where possible.
The move will be a welcome relief to more than 450,000 buyers and renters who have been unable to progress their plans to move since March, according to government figures.
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Under the lockdown measures, essential or pre-planned moves were allowed but people were discouraged from moving home.
House hunters have instead been encouraged to carry out "virtual viewings" since lockdown was imposed - with housing secretary Robert Jenrick urging potential buyers to continue using the technology.
As a result, property prices are now predicted to fall. Lloyds Bank has predicted a five per cent drop this year, while estate agent Knight Frank has warned of a seven per cent decline.
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