Right, at what point do we give notice on our flat?

[Magmatic80]

We're buying a house (EXCITED!!), but we need to give a month's notice on our rented flat. At what point in process do we do it? We'd rather not overlap homes too much for London rent/mortgage payment doubling up is painful. According to handy update page we have on solicitor website, the searches have been received, and the pre-contract info has been received from seller's solicitor. From the list it seems just 'replies to all enquiries approved' and 'contract sent to client for sig' plus exchange and completion are only bits outstanding. Is it imminent? Do we do it now? Estate agent says seller is keen to complete ASAP. How long do we have left? Def want to leave a week between exchange and completion as solicitor will charge us for faster

you give your notice on exchange or risk being homeless. It's that simple.

leave two weeks between exchange and completion to sort out post redirect, removals, utilities (especially phone/broadband). Only in MN-land do people try to exchange and complete quicker.

so ideal for you is to have nearly a month between exchange and completion, to minimise double payment. But even a few days overlap is good because you can then clean the new place first, clean the rental before checkout and also avoid removals on a Friday.

you have hopefully been advised that you need to insure your new house from exchange.

Yes, we have. Brilliant, thankyou! We didn't know we could leave the gap that long! We were planning to move on a Saturday and do inventory check for old flat the following week to give us time to clean it properly.

perfect.

take charge; tell your solicitor how you want it to work. He can then tell the others and any negotiations can happen.

also time to check when you give notice on your rental; needs to be in sync with your tenancy date. And the usual health check that you have a protected deposit. Courteous to inform your landlord verbally that you are planning to leave, but not essential; it is the written notice that counts.