Relief as housing market to stay open in lockdown ahead of stamp duty deadline

Estate agents have breathed a sigh of relief that the housing market will be allowed to remain open during the latest national lockdown.

Estate and letting agents and removals firms can continue to work through the lockdown. That means they can operate in what is expected to be an extremely busy first quarter as many customers rush to get deals over the line before the stamp duty holiday finishes at the end of March.

Dominic Agace, chief executive of estate agency group Winkworth, which has 60 branches in the capital, said: “For the many people currently caught up in a race to complete before the stamp duty deadline, leaving the property market open will come as a great relief.”

Mark Hayward, chief policy adviser at trade body Propertymark, said: “It is vital that agents operate in accordance with government and Propertymark guidelines to help prevent the spread of Covid-19, keep movers and buyers safe and keep the housing market moving through these uncertain times.”