The great day of completion is here. You're busy loading up the removals van, but if things don't go according to plan you still might not be home and dry. So make sure you know what is expected and keep an eye on every step of the process.
What is completion day?
It’s the day the money is transferred, you get the keys and you can start moving into your new home.
What can go wrong?
There are various stumbling blocks, such as when the money is being passed from your mortgage provider (if you’re using one) to your solicitors, then to the buyer’s solicitors. And if the money hasn’t gone through by 4pm, you may have to wait until the next working day - although this is extremely unusual..
You might also be involved in a chain of buyers and sellers. If any of these becomes delayed for technical or financial reasons, the whole process can become delayed. For example, some buyers fail to take all of the costs into account. You have to pay charges such as stamp duty and VAT on agents’ fees to your solicitor, otherwise you won’t be able to complete.
If I fail to come up with the money will I be fined?
Yes, but if you have failed to pay because your buyers also failed to come up with the money, they will pay a penalty to you, so hopefully you won’t lose out.
Who decides when completion day happens?
The vendor and buyer will get the chance to agree this in advance. It traditionally has to be on a working weekday, to enable the money transfers through the bank and so your solicitor is available.
Can I exchange and complete on the same day?
It’s standard practice for completion to happen seven to 28 days after exchanging contracts.
But exchanging and completing on the same day is possible, increasingly common, and has certain advantages – it certainly speeds the process up, and means you don’t have to pay a deposit on exchange of contracts. However, there are downsides – it is incredibly stressful, and you don’t definitely know that you are moving until the day that you move, which makes arranging removals men and forwarding post more complex. If anything does go wrong, you don’t have any time to put things right. You will need to have your house packed up with the removals men ready, while you are waiting to hear that contracts are being exchanged. If you are keen to go for this, the things to consider are:
- It is much less riskier if you and the seller are chain-free, so there is no one else to mess things up
- It is easier if you are a cash purchaser, so you don’t have to worry about transferring money from the mortgage lender
- Some mortgage lenders are happy with exchanging and completing on the same day, but others require a minimum period (such as five working days) between
- You and the mortgage lender should transfer the funds to your solicitor the day before, to ensure there are no money transmission problems
How do I get the keys?
You can arrange to pick them up directly from our offices on your way past with the removals van.