Microsoft outage could cause issues for those moving home on ‘unlucky’ Friday 13

Microsoft’s global outage may cause stress and disruption for people moving on “unlucky” Friday 13, but a property expert said many firms use purpose-built portals which will help.

Ian Harris, president at property professionals’ body NAEA (National Association of Estate Agents) Propertymark said: “Just like many businesses, the ability to communicate efficiently is essential.

“When vital systems unexpectedly fail, it can cause serious and unexpected stress, particularly for those on their moving day.

“We now live in a world where email plays an integral role in ensuring information reaches its intended recipients.

“When such systems experience downtime, this has the potential to cause temporary delays in the final stages of completing a house sale.

“Although many agents, lenders and conveyancers use purpose-built online portals, which will remain unaffected by the current outage, the worst-case scenario is that some people could experience delays while contingency communication methods are put in place.”

Analysis published by Rightmove on Friday indicates that people avoid moving on Friday 13, despite the last day of the working week being busy for home moves as people use the weekend to get settled in.

It analysed Land Registry data going back to 1995 and found that Friday 13 tends to be the quietest Friday for home moves.

The analysis also found that, in general, the 13th is the quietest day of the month for completions, with fewer home moves on average than on other dates.