Completion Day: You Did It
This is the one you've been working towards. Completion day is the day the property officially becomes yours. Here's what actually happens, what to expect, and how to make the most of it.
The night before
The evening before completion, double-check everything is packed and ready. Confirm your removal team has the right address and access instructions. Make sure you know where you'll be collecting the keys from : usually the estate agent's office, unless you've arranged otherwise.
Also confirm with your solicitor that all funds are ready to transfer. They'll have already requested the mortgage funds from your lender a few days before, and they'll need your remaining balance (the deposit less any already paid at exchange) to have cleared in their account.
What happens on the day
Completion usually takes place in the morning, though this can vary. Here's what happens:
- Your solicitor transfers the purchase funds to the seller's solicitor.
- The seller's solicitor confirms receipt.
- The seller's estate agent is notified and releases the keys.
- You collect the keys.
- The property is yours.
The moment you're told the keys are ready is genuinely one of the best feelings you'll experience in this whole process. You've earned it.
Things that can cause delays on the day
Most completions go smoothly, but it's worth knowing what can slow things down:
- Bank transfer delays. Large sums of money sometimes take longer to clear than expected. This is the most common cause of completions happening in the afternoon rather than the morning.
- A chain completing in sequence. If you're in a chain, you can't complete until everyone above you has. Usually this sorts itself out through the day, but it's worth being patient.
- Paperwork issues. These are rare at this stage but can occasionally hold things up.
If there's a delay, stay calm and stay in contact with your solicitor. It almost always resolves itself the same day.
When you pick up the keys
Read the meters as soon as you walk in. Gas, electricity and water. Take photos of them as a record. This is important for billing purposes and ensures you only pay for what you use from the moment you move in.
Make sure you have details for:
- Your energy suppliers (or you can switch immediately if you prefer)
- Your water provider
- Your home insurance : this should actually be in place from exchange, not completion, so check this is already sorted
Change the locks. It's good practice. You don't know how many sets of keys are floating around.
Register with the Land Registry
Your solicitor will handle the registration of your ownership with the Land Registry after completion. This is part of the conveyancing process and doesn't require anything from you, but it's worth knowing it happens so you understand why you receive the official title documents a few weeks after you move in.
Enjoy it
This is a big deal. Buying your first home is one of the most significant things most people ever do. It takes patience, paperwork, and no small amount of perseverance. But you got there.
Get a takeaway. Pop some fizz. Sit in the middle of your empty floor and take it all in.
