Coronavirus: FAQs for homeowners

Last updated: 21st December 2021

Should I invite a tradesperson into my home to do work during the coronavirus pandemic?

ENGLAND

Most legal restrictions have been lifted in England since 19^th July 2021, meaning tradespeople can carry out work in your home as long as you, they and everyone in both of your households are well and have no coronavirus symptoms.

The tradesperson should also follow the COVID-Secure guidance for businesses where possible, including leaving doors open to let fresh air in and limiting the number of workers within a confined space.

Additional guidelines are in place in local areas at higher risk of COVID-19. If you live in one of these areas, you should follow the specific guidance given by your local authority. Check if your local area is listed on Gov.uk.

SCOTLAND

On 17th December 2021, Scotland introduced new covid measures to combat the spread of the Omicron variant. People in Scotland are now being told to take extra precautions including:

• Limiting social contact with other households – gathering in groups of no more than 3 households.
• Avoid crowded places and try to shop during quieter periods.
• Take regular lateral flow tests, even if you show no symptoms, especially before meeting with other people.
• Work from home where possible.

Tradespeople can still carry out work in your home as long as you, they and everyone in both of your households are well and have no coronavirus symptoms.

The tradesperson must follow the guidance on working in homes safely.

Updated safety requirements for working in other peoples homes can be found on the above links section to the Scottish government’s website. Some new measures include:

• Consider whether work could be delayed until Covid case numbers decrease/ the virus is less prevalent
• Before entering other people’s home, workers should undertake a LFD test on the day, prior to attendance.
• Households should also undertake a LFD test on the day, prior to the visit. We are encouraging householders, particularly those on the High Risk List, to ask people who are working in their home to take an LFD test first.

WALES

From Saturday 17^th July, Wales is at alert level 1. Tradespeople can carry out work in your home, as long as it can be done safely and they, you and your respective households are well and have no coronavirus symptoms. A tradesperson must also follow all the reasonable measures and the guidance on working in other people’s homes.

The government has recommended that no work is carried out in a household where someone is isolating, unless it is to repair a fault or to carry out an adaptation to allow you to stay in your property. If this is the case, additional precautions should be taken to keep both you and the tradesperson completely separate from each other. Public Health Wales can advise you in these specific cases.

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We’re really impressed by how vigilant tradespeople are being with their hygiene and safety, while they continue to help with home improvement work. Find more information on how to have work done safely in your home on our Homeowner Advice Centre.

Can I still post a job during the coronavirus pandemic?

We’re accepting new job posts on Rated People and our tradespeople are still available to help with your work. We’re seeing more and more homeowners post jobs – from indoor work such as loft conversions, floor fitting and painting/decorating, to outdoor work to sort out the garden! You might also need professional help for unexpected issues, like a burst or blocked pipe, or a broken heating system. Whatever you have in mind, getting work done where it’s safe to do so, can be a great way to show support for local businesses at a time where business is still slower overall and more challenging for the self-employed.

You should follow the guidance for your country and local area regarding which specific jobs you can have done in and around your home. Find out which types of work you can get done in your area, in our FAQ above.

Have you still got tradespeople available to help with my job?

We’ve still got thousands of experts ready to help whenever you need them, whether that’s a cleaner to do a commercial or domestic deep clean, a pest controller to get rid of unwanted guests, or a driveway specialist to revamp your home’s exterior. Our tradespeople are on hand to help with your jobs, providing they can do so safely.

You should follow the guidance for your country and local area regarding which specific jobs you can have done in and around your home. Find out which types of work you can get done in your area, in our FAQ above.

What measures have you put in place to protect homeowners and tradespeople?

Your wellbeing and the wellbeing of our tradespeople will always be the most important thing to us. We know it’s an uncertain time, but we want to reassure you that we’re following the latest coronavirus advice and recommendations from the government and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to help keep you safe and well.

You can use Rated People to find a tradesperson just as you usually would. However, we’re advising all our homeowners and tradespeople to take extra precautions.

Examples of the extra coronavirus precautions we’ve suggested our tradespeople take:

• Don’t meet and allow work to go ahead if you have any of the symptoms associated with the virus, like a high temperature, a loss of sense of smell or taste, or a new, continuous cough – even if they seem mild. If anyone in your household has symptoms, stay at home for the appropriate length of time.
• Consider ways to reduce contact, such as sending photos or a video to enable tradespeople to quote over the phone. Our Protected Payments service can be a useful service for you and a tradesperson to consider using during this time. It’s digital so you won’t need to meet to pay for work. Plus, your money will be protected if a job needs to get put on hold. Read more info.

We’ve also asked our tradespeople to take additional hygiene precautions. These include washing their hands more regularly, using hand sanitiser and bringing their own beverages to a job.

We’re staying on top of the daily government recommendations to make sure we’re communicating the latest advice. If you’re having home improvement work done during this time, please read our recommendations for having work done safely. This brings together the latest government advice and our top tips to help you protect yourself and any tradespeople carrying out work for you. We’ll continue to update this as more advice comes in. We’re also in frequent contact with our tradespeople to provide them with the latest recommendations for completing work safely too. You can read these on our Trade Advice Centre.

What happens if a tradesperson can’t complete my job because they’re self-isolating due to coronavirus?

We’re all in this one together. So, we’re asking all homeowners to be understanding if a job needs to get rescheduled over the coming weeks. Tradespeople are doing their best to keep their businesses running when it’s safe to do so, so if they need to self-isolate, they’ll be doing that to help keep you safe and well.

Can I move home during the coronavirus pandemic?

Yes. The government has confirmed that you can move home during the coronavirus pandemic, even if you live in a high alert level local area or you’re in lockdown. You can still attend house viewings (at the moment, initial viewings tend to be virtual and any in-person ones will be by appointment only), and estate/letting agents and removal firms can continue to work.

Whatever stage you’re at in the house move process, you must follow the national guidance on moving home safely. This includes maintaining social distancing and wearing a face covering.

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Note: Countries may approach the different phases of lockdown differently. This guidance is in line with the UK government‘s advice and is being followed in England. See the specific government websites for any differences.