Moving house in Portugal during COVID-19

Moving house is never easy. There is a lot to think about (and tidy up) and several things to consider before taking this big step, even more so if you're moving to Portugal from abroad. Add to that the fact that we are currently in the midst of a global pandemic and it is easy to think that everything seems even more difficult. For this reason, it is important to take precautions before, during and after moving house in Portugal, and now with extra care.

With the help of the home improvement experts at the Habitissimo portal, let's have a look at some tips to make moving house as safe and easy as possible in Portugal, from your house search, to moving in.

Visiting your new house

As you might expect, when searchig for a property for sale in Portugal, visits to properties currently have some limitations and require extra care due to the coronavirus outbreak. Although some visits can now be made virtually, other visits will be face-to-face, especially if you are really interested in the property. Generally, the real estate agent should have a kit for face-to-face visits, which includes gloves, disinfectant gel and shoe protection.

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As extra protection, don't forget to take a face mask. Ideally, the communication between the agent and the client should be carried out in the street, while maintaining the social distance of 2 metres, and the visit inside the house or flat should be made only by the person interested in the property, leaving the agent waiting outside.

During the move

Do not be afraid to hire professionals to make this change, especially if you are moving to Portugal from abroad. Professionals will be trained and are able to work while complying with the relevant COVID-19 safety rules. Neverthelss, avoid handshakes and contact that is too close.

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Try to make sure that everyone involved in the move wears protective material, such as gloves and masks, and that everyone has access to disinfectant gel. Also try to provide soap and a cloth so that the professionals can also wash their hands.

After the move

When your big move is over, it's also important to disinfect all the places in your home where there is most frequent contact, such as door handles, taps and light switches. We recommend that before handling the boxes filled with your things that you disinfect them and let them sit for 24 hours or more before emptying them. When you start to unpack your boxes to remove your things, wear gloves and if you want to ensure extra care, disinfect each object individually before putting it in its new home.

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These are some of the precautions you should take while moving house in times of pandemic in Portugal. Remember that if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, you should postpone your move until you are sure you are not infected, so as not to put yourself or anyone else's health at risk.