Buying and moving - what do I need to know?

[Zaphodsotherhead]

My mum died and left me enough money to buy a little place (with a tiny loan). I've been in rented for the last 25 years. Today I instructed a solicitor, I'm (fingers crossed) buying a little cottage in the village where I've been living as a cash buyer.

What do I need to know? I've never bought a place before - moved in with partners who've owned already and gone on their mortgages, so presume stamp duty will be due, but can anyone point me to a list of 'things to do when moving'?

I'm very excited but a little bit terrified too. Although looking forward to being financially better off (no rent!) and warm (new house has heating!).

Make sure you have a good independent survey, don’t just rely on the mortgage companies one. Money well spent.
It will be full of ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’, however it will point out anything that will cost you money in the future.

There is no mortgage, Bee, so no mortgage surveyor. I do have a 'tame' surveyor who's going to go round for me though, thank you for the advice!

England:

solicitor - make sure they have a deputising system and communicate like grownups. They should guide you through everything, that's what you pay them for. Phone up if you feel ignored.

survey - he/she won't test electrics or heating. Unlike a rental, if you want safety certificates you buy them. Ask what caveats you will get, many surveys are so hedged with them as to be useless. Unlike solicitor, surveyor needs to be local. Also do your own survey - look at it in the rain, try all the taps, open all the cupboards, run the shower and so on.

insurance - from exchange.

as you are a cash buyer going from rented, try not to complete on a Friday. That way money moves faster and removals are quicker. do NOT give notice until you have exchanged contracts.

declutter massively.

once you have exchange: insure, set up post redirect, inform council re council tax, arrange broadband and phone which takes ages.

on completion day: take meter readings, contact utilities. Change car insurance address.

ASAP after: shop around for a less bad utility deal. Change V5 on car. Change addresses on everything else.

do no expect this to happen before Christmas. Solicitors will knock off Fri 20th at the latest.

Thanks, mencken. No, we've half sorted a date in mid Jan, I can't really move before then - going from five bed house to two bed cottage so there's a LOT of sorting and decluttering to be done!

That's an excellent check list and good point about not giving notice until we've exchanged, anything could happen and I don't want to be homeless in January...

indeed! Doesn't hurt to advise your landlord what is going on, but make it clear that it is only that, not formal notice. Ideally you'd want a month between exchange and completion, but if they won't wait that long, make it so that your rental finishes a few days after you complete on the purchase. That way you have less stress in the move and a chance to clean both properties. If it is in the same village you could even move with van loads, which isn't normally possible in a chain move as you have to be totally out on completion day.

Even if you are having removers, look at everything you own and ask if you actually want to carry it to the new place. That helps to ease the decluttering.

oh yes, with cash - remember that it takes time to move money from one account to another. You can save on CHAPS fees by transferring the deposit across to the solicitor in pieces, depending on your online banking limit. Send £10 first and then phone the solicitor to make sure it is in the right bank account; this process is a prime target for fraudsters who hack the solicitor email and send fraudulent bank details.

I shall bear that all in mind, mencken. Luckily the landlord is a friend and very flexible. I am literally moving two doors down, so am thinking about paying the rent for the whole month of Jan and then moving over the course of a month (my rental house is going to be knocked down, so no real need to deep clean or have it empty for a certain date). No removers necessary, it will be me, my adult kids and (probably) most of the village!

love it! Hope all goes very well.

Thank you! And thanks for the advice.