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Original poster

In a property chain and handing over the keys

31 replies

KandN · 08/04/2023 01:35

Dear all

Sorry but we don't have much experience with buying a property and being "in chain". The last property we bought, we were lucky to be living with family and the seller had already found somewhere so basically, when we "completed", we were handed the keys to our new flat and we had all the time in the world to move all our belongings to the new flat.

Different circumstances now, we are looking to get a house and we will need to sell our flat. So basically we are in a chain. In terms of "logistics", ie getting the keys to our new house and then handing over the keys of our flat to the new owners, does that mean we need to aim to have the SAME completion date for everyone involved? (Probably unlikely...But just though i'd ask).

And if we do manage to complete the sale on our flat before getting the keys to the new house, when would be the best time to start moving out ALL of our furniture and other belongings? My wife thinks that it's actually feasible to complete on the sale of our flat (i.e hand the keys over to the new owners) and get removal companies to move ALL our stuff on that day?!...I think that will be nearly impossible and the stress!!!....Is this typical? How and when do people actually start moving their stuff out? Presumably they either store it at friends/family place/storage/rent a place? The question is WHEN would be the best time to move the things out? (Surely not on the day of completion right?) I can also appreciate that we can't move the things out too far in advance (otherwise we will be sleeping on the floor in an empty flat).

I would greatly appreciate if others could share their own experience of house buying and moving out etc. As I was getting a bit frustrated with what the wife actually suggested.

Please no cocky or rude comments, if you don't like the question or don't want to share, please scroll on.

OP posts:
EveryoneButSam · 08/04/2023 01:45

Yes this is exactly what happens in my experience so far. You complete and everyone moves on the same day. Yes it is stressful! I guess if you have somewhere to store your possessions you could start moving them earlier as an interim step, but then you just have to move them again to the new house, so maybe less effort overall to bite the bullet and do it in one day.

Catmummyof2 · 08/04/2023 01:51

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Dontsparethehorses · 08/04/2023 01:53

Yes my experience is that when you exchange you set a completion date and book movers for that day or a can and lots of friends! You get them to arrive early and pack the van then have to wait until you have keys to unpack at new place- depending on how long the chain is this might be late because not everyone is organised/ ready and if first house take long time to empty it slows everything down!

HappyAsASandboy · 08/04/2023 01:54

Normally everyone in the chain completes on one day and everyone moves on the day. This means there's a sort of limbo time while everyone is "on the move" with their stuff, having handed their old keys to an estate agent/solicitor and not yet collected their new keys, all at the same time as the money is moving.

It is crazy, and seems unlikely to work, but it has been done this way for years and it almost always works. There are times it all falls through on the day, but that is very very rare as the exchange of contracts phase makes it very expensive for anyone to pull out of the sale after completion.

Good luck with your move!

EyesOnThePies · 08/04/2023 02:11

Completion is when the money for your new house arrives in your vendors solicitors bank account.

If the purchase of your new house is dependent on the sale of your flat There is never a moment at which you own two properties. So you need to have all your belongings out of your flat and in the removal van by about 12.

You then get notification that the sale / purchase have completed and can move into your house.

You need to start packing all your stuff up well in advance so that it is all ready on moving day. Removal companies are used to this and will arrive at 8 or 9 and have your flat emptied and the van packed by 12.
Removal companies will dismantle your bed and put it up again at the other end.

If you use a hired van / friends you have to be able to do it in one trip. You cannot be going back and forth because you have completed on (sold) your flat in order to have bought your house.

You just need to be efficient and organised, and to have packed all your stuff by the night before.

Also notified all your utility companies etc.

Member589500 · 08/04/2023 02:41

I’ve moved quite a few times including being out of a 5 bed triple garage place in one morning so yes it can be done but prep is everything!
Start decluttering now
Get a decent removal firm. It is so worth the cost.
get boxes from said decent removal firm in advance and pack anything you don’t actually need 2 weeks ahead - ornaments and books etc.
get an end of tenancy cleaner if you can afford it. To clean cupboards etc. I know people often leave a place dirty though…
Have a moving day bag with food and kettle and tools for building beds etc.
actually - get a load of IKEA type bags as they’re so useful for bedding and clothes.
Good luck with it all.

Ponderingwindow · 08/04/2023 04:02

yes, you sleep in an empty house or get a hotel. A camping mattress can make the experience more comfortable .

ArcticSkewer · 08/04/2023 04:37

Your wife describes the typical process in the UK.

You are free to do something different. You could rent somewhere, Airbnb, put your stuff in storage, up to you really.

But most people would pack in advance then move everything on the day of sale. It often involves moving out before the sale completes at lunchtime, then sitting outside the new house waiting to move in.

Rowthe · 08/04/2023 04:44

So as above it's all done on the same day but I'll explain it in a little more detail.

Prior to the move, so the weeks prior- get rid of any clutter and crap you dont need. You dont want to be moving stuff you dont really need.

Closer to the time, maybe the days before the move you can arrange for a lot of the things and bigger items to be stored- but this will cost.

So that on the 2-3 days before the move there really is only the essential items remaining in the house.

Rowthe · 08/04/2023 04:45

Its getting rid of the stuff you dont need and dont want to be moving to the new place that takes the most time.

Lincslady53 · 08/04/2023 05:41

It used to be you would exchange contracts then complete 4 weeks later. You are not supposed to hand over the keys to your property until you have confirmation from your solicitor that you have the money from your buyer. Our last house move, we exchanged and completed on the same day, our buyers turned up with their furniture van and my partner refused them the keys until late afternoon till we got confirmation. If you hand the keys over before you get the money, and something goes wrong on the money transfer it could get very difficult.

LordEmsworth · 08/04/2023 06:37

As I was getting a bit frustrated with what the wife actually suggested.

She is entirely correct, hope you plan to apologise to her for telling her she's lying.

MiniCooperLover · 08/04/2023 07:40

Completion happens on the same day for all parties and keys and properties are handed over that day.

Zhougzhoug · 08/04/2023 07:50

Yes to what everyone else said, including your wife - it sounds like a mad ramshackle system but that literally is how it works.

Sometimes a removal company might load the van the day before, and just drive it over to the new property on the day of exchange. They did this with us and with PIL but we both had a lot of stuff and were moving a significant drive away.

Also removal companies often own / are sister companies to storage units so you could keep your things in storage for a week or so to give yourself a bit more time.

All this costs money but that is why people say moving is expensive - not just fees but also vans, boxes, storage, random Premier Inn for a night…

CatOnTheChair · 08/04/2023 08:05

Unless you "break the chain" ie sell your current house before buying the new one, and move into temporary accomadation, or have enough money to own both houses at the same time, the whole chain completes on the same day (one by one, in a chain, starting at the bottom so the money is all there). As soon as your sale completes, you no longer own the house, and need to be out.

We had packers. They came the day before, and packed pretty much everything - left us with a plate and cup each, a bed each, and we had suitcases with enough stuff for a few days.
Completion day, they turned up, finished packing, loaded vans and drove to new house. Left us with furniture put together in the right room, and 101 boxes we unpacked over the following days. They came to collect the empty boxes about a week later.
This is one reason why chain free buyers are attractive. The shorter the chain, the less likely something is to go wrong.

eurochick · 08/04/2023 08:18

The whole chain moving on the same day is the usual way it is done in the U.K. I did it several times as a child and have done it three times as an adult, the last time from a six bed house.

You get everything possible packed and dismantled in advance. On the morning of the move you do the last bits while the removal van is being loaded. You then lock up and if using estate agents drop your keys off there. Then drive to the new house/vendor's estate agents and wait for the monies to move up he chain. Once your purchase money has moved you collect the keys and the vans are unloaded.

nomoremerlot · 08/04/2023 08:32

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Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
KandN · 08/04/2023 08:36

Thanks for all your input! 👍

OP posts:
SquashPenguin · 08/04/2023 08:37

That’s how we did it last year, stressful was an understatement. We hired to long wheel base vans and packed them up the night before. We fortunately also have a fleet of work vans at our disposal and had another two berlingo sized vans parked up and packed as well. We had to be out the house complex by 1pm, then we got the keys at 1.30.

myheartmyhead · 08/04/2023 08:38

Some people use self storage as an option, move their belongings out a couple of weeks before, then into the new property when they have the keys

AnonymousArabella · 08/04/2023 08:39

Just get the removal company to pack. They come the day before and pack everything up, then move you on the day of completion. Makes for the smoothest possible experience.

And apologise to your wife. She was right!

SnarkyBag · 08/04/2023 08:39

LordEmsworth · 08/04/2023 06:37

As I was getting a bit frustrated with what the wife actually suggested.

She is entirely correct, hope you plan to apologise to her for telling her she's lying.

Yes do apologise to “the wife” for being a twit.

Fine to not know the process but maybe find out before you get narky with someone who does!

The run up to moving including the day itself is pretty stressful but doable. Removal companies know their stuff and do it every day so they’ll be able to get your stuff loaded pretty quick. Just be organised.

Sodd · 08/04/2023 08:45

You’re wife is correct. Everyone in the chain completes and moves on the same day.

We have always moved ourselves with two vans and family help. Loaded vans up the day before and morning of the move. Completion generally between 1pm by which time the old house is empty and clean. Got the keys 2ish and start moving into the new house mid afternoon onwards.

The trick is to start packing immediately after exchange, box unneeded items up, decluttering as you go. Beds can be collapsed a couple of days before the move, sleeping on the mattress part.

FirstnameSuesecondnamePerb · 08/04/2023 08:45

You wife is correct.
Last time we moved though, we had removers the day before. They were done by lunch, got a cleaner in to clean and stayed in a hotel overnight. Removers arrived next day. All worked brilliantly and will do that next time!

gkd1234 · 08/04/2023 08:50

Your wife is right.

Unless you want to sell before you buy and then have the inconvenience of being temporarily homeless and the expense of paying to have your belongings stored, would would have to complete and move on the same day.

I have moved many times. Once we had a fortnight's holiday to Cornwall while all our stuff was in storage between houses.

Another time (cross country move) it was all very last minute and we exchanged and completed on the same day. Due to the distance, we had to leave our home and our town with all our worldly goods before we'd even exchanged and only got the keys about 6pm on a Friday night, which was very stressful as no one was sure it was going to happens in time for the weekend. I do not recommend this! Felt awful for the removal team.

The easiest way to move is to pay the removal company to come and pack almost everything for you the day before. Then it's just boxes to move into the van on the morning.

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