How did people know that completion had happened before mobile phones?

[brokenshoes]

My DH and I have been talking about the logistics of moving day (we're moving next week).

He thinks that we wait in the old house until we get a call from the solicitor/estate agent to say that we have completed and then we can go to the new house.

I said that as we are moving 1.5 hours away, why would we wait at the old house? I said that we need to hand the keys for the old house to the estate agent as soon as the removal truck is loaded, then get to the new house where we sit and wait until we've had the call to collect the keys.

But then he made the point that what used to happen before most people had mobile phones? How did you know that the funds had gone through and you could collect the keys?

When I first started doing conveyancing it was possible to walk to the bank to send the completion monies to the other side's solicitors, but colleagues fondly recall catching the bus to the solicitors in the next town, carrying the money, to complete "in person". Multiple completions on one day were physically impossible!

First house I bought, the vendors were still moving stuff out way after completion. And then same thing happened to me when I sold it! It meant I was able to chat to the buyer when he moved in - it was fine. He sold it a few weeks ago and even sent me a little note with his new address on. He was lovely

You waited in your old house for a call. You called the solicitor from a pay phone or even from the new house (asked the people moving out nicely if you could use phone)...