The Conveyancing Association (CA) has urged the Welsh Government to go “further” and “faster” in opening up its housing market.

The trade body for the conveyancing industry suggested the Welsh market now needs to follow the same approach and protocols which have been in place in England’s market since mid-May.

Last Friday, the Welsh Government announced a partial reopening of the housing market in Wales from 22 June, meaning all house moves can go ahead where the residential property has been unoccupied, and that house moves can take place where a sale has been agreed but not yet completed. The partial reopening also means marketing and viewing of unoccupied residential property can take place

However, the CA believes this “does not go far enough”, as the Welsh Government has stated that house moves where the residential property is occupied are still not able to go ahead.
 
The trade body suggested that with the English market now functioning well, and with protocols in place to ensure the safety of all property market participants including those in occupied properties, there is “no reason” why the Welsh Government cannot follow suit.

“We understand why the Welsh Government is adopting a cautious approach to the COVID-19 pandemic but there are incredibly tight protocols in place for English properties which keep all parties as safe as possible,” CA operations director, Lloyd Davies, commented.

“There is a real danger by not adopting these, and going further and faster than its current approach, that the impact on Welsh housing market stakeholders will be even more devastating.
 
“At present, and even with this partial reopening, we are well behind the English market, and with any new transactions likely to take 16 weeks to complete, the impact on the Welsh economy to be able to restart effectively will be damaged severely.

“In this situation, a softly-softly approach is not sufficient and we would urge the Welsh Government to learn the lessons of what is happening over the border, the benefits it can bring, and to implement a similar approach before the damage becomes even greater.”

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