How long do you get to move?

[2GinOrNot2Gin]

When you sell & purchase a house how long do you get to move the contents from A-B?

We're moving soon but my husband and I have very different ideas of how it will work. Our current home was our first and we both lived with parents so we had all the time in the world to decorate and move in.

I've tried to explain that it's completely different and that were likely to have to move everything in a few hours. He's adamant we can have a couple of days and it's physically impossible to move our whole life in a few hours. (I argued this is why people use removal companies but he's adamant we're doing a self hire)

So from being handed the keys to your new house, how long until you had to hand over the keys to your old house?

[Itshissister]

You move out of your old and into your new on the same day.

You will only own one property at a time so cannot leave anything there.

[Ilikewinter]

Im sure we had a time written in our contracts, we had to hand our keys into the estate agent by 1pm, then we sat with our entire home now packed in a van parked up on a side street until our new keys were ready to collect - this was at 2pm.
That was the most stressful part of moving because you realise at that point in time you are actually homeless!

[PragmaticWench]

If you are selling your current home to buy the next, it all happens on the same day. This is why it's good to have a few days at least between exchange and completion.

On completion day you need to be out as soon as your solicitor calls to say it's all gone through, as at that point the new owners will collect the keys from the estate agents and will arrive to unload their furniture

[Peridot1]

It will be incredibly stressful to do it his way.

Book a removal company. You can do your own packing in the weeks before.

If you do it his way you are likely to to have the new owners of your current house sitting outside with their removal truck hating you as you are still packing up.

[Coldhandscoldheart]

All on the same day. Do a search, there are some real stories about people who have gone to move into their new house & the previous owners haven’t started packing.

Might be worth having a word with the solicitor & see if they can mention it during a ‘general chat confirming details’

[Coldhandscoldheart]

With enough friends helping, you probably can do it yourselves, but tbh, if you’ve the money, just get removers.

[plixy]

Where does your husband think the people who have bought your house are going to live while you take several days to move?
It would be lovely to have more time but it just physically wouldn't work. Agree with pp our contracts have always said you have to be out by 1pm.

[MissKittyCat]

You only own one property at a time and there is no overlap. So you should empty the old property and hand over the keys prior to completion and not get the keys to the new property until after completion. You may have a buyer who isn't moving in straight away and is happy to let you have belongings in the old property for a short while after completion but you can't expect this. When I moved, completion was estimated at midday. The removal company arrived in the morning and had emptied the house by 11am (I had done the packing myself). I was only moving a short distance so they went to a cafe for a few hours until I got the keys to the new house at 2 pm. The removers then went to the new house and had unloaded by 5pm. Using a removal company is worth the cost due to the speed they work and the amount of energy and stress they save you.

[Grooticle]

You start packing in advance. Once you exchange contracts you can be very confident the sale will go through (complete) so that’s when you pack up everything else. By the morning of completion you should only need to pack up your breakfast stuff, bedding and toothbrushes. Then you start loading the van. When the solicitor calls to say the sale has completed, it’s no longer your house so you need to leave. Then you drive to the new place, hope the sellers have got out on time, and unpack.

Maybe your husband is confused about the delay between exchange and completion? That’s usually one week, although doesn’t have to be. Use that time to pack,

[FatimaMunchy]

Pretty sure that when we bought this house we exchanged and completed on the same day, which would make life difficult for him!

[2GinOrNot2Gin]

Oh seems we're both wrong.. I wasn't expecting to have to be out before we get the keys. But makes perfect sense just wishful thinking of having both keys for a couple of hours I think!

The owners of the house we're buying have already moved out and have said they will allow access to their garage a few days before we complete. It isn't that big and so won't make a huge difference but sounds like every little helps.

Have you all used removal companies? I was thinking of hiring 2 really large vans and we have lots of people to help. But thinking there is going to be a skill to packing the van to fit everything in without breaking things.

I'm off to get removal company quotes!

[chloechloe]

A removal company makes it so much less stressful! They’re so fast but really careful - there’s a lot of acquired skill in getting furniture up and down stairs and round tight corners without breaking or damaging anything.

One time we also had a company pack everything as we were relocating for work and had everything paid for. Amazing!

But at the very least get a company to do the removal. Remember some furniture such as wardrobes and large couches and beds will need dismantling and reassembling - they will do that for you too.

[FatimaMunchy]

We paid for the removal company to pack. It was well worth it. They dismantled an IKEA desk and book case that had been put together incorrectly (don't ask) and put them together correctly at the other end. It was worth it just for that. 😁

[adagio]

As others have said - all on same say; unless you get a very expensive bridging loan and own 2 houses for a few days. I have never met anyone who can afford 2 houses at once though!

The removal men know exactly what they are doing and can clear a fully packed house in an hour or so - I reckon it would take a normal person / family many multiples of that. Stuff is heavy, it needs to be tied down, and the teams are used to working together quickly. Your mum /dad/aunty will stand around waiting to be directed then put the breakables box at the bottom 1st so you have to keep moving it out the way to get the books in, or helpfully move things around while you are not looking. It will be a total pain in the butt - do able, but very stressful! Plus stuff will probably get broken and it won’t be insured.

Have everything in boxes ahead of time - you can start packing non essentials weeks before and just do the last bits in the last few days, finally just bedding and toothbrushes on the last day.

You will then discover non essential boxes still packed years later and wonder why you ever kept that lamp/book/candlestick etc

[Amijustagrump]

My MIL did what you are planning to do and dear God it was stressful. Some friendships never recovered as they were asked to help and then hated being there on the day making it harder, stuff got broken, we couldn't fit everything in the van and we forgot to clear how a room and a shed! I would never do it again.

[user1471538283]

You need a big van or two because possibly for a couple of hours you are without a home. Please get removers. Our removers take apart and put back together beds which is invaluable when you just want to sleep.

I pack as I go along and declutter. We always have a fast food breakfast because if you don't eat first thing the next thing you know its 4pm. Once I've moved i make up the beds with fresh linen before anything else. I also have a separate box with me with the kettle, tea bags, coffee and cups. I pack a case with clothing, pyjamas and toiletries.

Someone I know moved himself and it took 12 hours!

[Crazycatlady83]

Basically it boils down to - once you receive the money from your buyers - you have to leave the house. They own it! The contract will have a time when you have to leave (normally early afternoon) and you have to be out at that time. If you fail to remove your belongings on the day, your buyers can seek compensation from you. If you are in any doubt, speak to your solicitor. It will be a costly mistake if you get it wrong.

Equally speak to your solicitor about gaining access to your new house before you complete. This can also cause not insignificant problems.

Just get a removals company. They are professionals and will talk you through the process.

Good luck and enjoy your new house!

[donquixotedelamancha]

We had a ridiculous seller. In the end we had to go to the house and help her pack. Finally got all our stuff inside, but not unpacked, by about 8pm. She left behind loads of crap and her cat.

The legal position is once the money is transferred, the house is yours. Most buys would expect to be able to start moving in around lunch.

[Grooticle]

Honestly removal companies aren’t much more expensive than hiring two big vans and then keeping all your family and friends supplied with biscuits and McDonald’s as the day goes on, and it will be a thousand times less stressful. Get a few quotes though, on our last move our quotes ranged from £800 to £2,900

[GreyishDays]

Please get a removal company.

Depending on area, it’ll be about £1000 for a three bedroom house. And then another £400 for them to pack it all. Them packing will take them a day and you days/weeks. It’s very good value.

If you use removers pack a suitcase as if for a weekend with toiletries, clothes, plus cleaning stuff, screwdrivers and tea and coffee stuff and a set of cutlery and plates. Keep this with you.

[eurochick]

As others have said it all happens on the same horribly stressful day and there will be a time in the contract when your old house in no longer yours. The keys to the new house will usually only be released when the solicitors confirm that the monies have moved for your purchase.

How it works in practice:
Pack EVERYTHING in the days leading up
On moving day, do very last bits - beds you have been sleeping in and last kitchen bits you needed for breakfast
Movers put everything into lorry
You go to your selling estate agent to hand in the keys and confirm the place is empty
Drive to new house estate agents to pick up keys for new house
Removals are unloaded at new house
Frantically put together beds and other essential jobs
Collapse in a heap!

Add in various phone calls to/from estate agents and solicitors along the way to confirm money has been received/sent etc and all is on track.

[ODFOx]

once you have your quotes if your DH is still keen to do it himself look at van hire for a week and local storage unit costs.
You can fit a lot in a van so take one van load each evening to your lock up. Then your dh can have his gradual ' move in and set up' scenario without you squatting in a house that you h ave already sold to someone else!

[Qc16]

@eurochick

As others have said it all happens on the same horribly stressful day and there will be a time in the contract when your old house in no longer yours. The keys to the new house will usually only be released when the solicitors confirm that the monies have moved for your purchase.

How it works in practice:
Pack EVERYTHING in the days leading up
On moving day, do very last bits - beds you have been sleeping in and last kitchen bits you needed for breakfast
Movers put everything into lorry
You go to your selling estate agent to hand in the keys and confirm the place is empty
Drive to new house estate agents to pick up keys for new house
Removals are unloaded at new house
Frantically put together beds and other essential jobs
Collapse in a heap!

Add in various phone calls to/from estate agents and solicitors along the way to confirm money has been received/sent etc and all is on track.

You forgot the cleaning which takes a long time once you’ve moved everything out☹️

[augustusglupe]

We did the move the day before completion. Then popped back the following morning to finish off before leaving and handing the keys to Estate agent. That was around 10am, completion was midday.
If you've completed though, you can't just pop back.
Planning everything like a military operation helps too OP. Good luck!!

[augustusglupe]

Just to add..We cleaned our house in the weeks leading up to moving, then the days before, did things like bathrooms, kit worktops, hob etc.
When the removal men had finished, we hoovered and that was it. You'll be fine.