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Original poster

Completion day, key collection time?

39 replies

SwimBaby · 17/06/2021 21:30

I’m hoping to exchange contracts tomorrow and complete on a flat on Monday. What actually happens on completion day in terms of what time will I get access to the property? I’ve only ever part exchanged properties for new builds before so am not sure of the process.
My solicitor is so difficult to talk to and get hold of it’s hard to get any info from them.
I’ve transferred all the funds for the flat a couple of weeks ago so they won’t be waiting for any money from me.

OP posts:
SpnBaby1967 · 18/06/2021 18:45

Our contracts state we have to be put by 2PM, but this seems unlikely given the process.

We are the middle of a chain of 3. Cash buyer, us and sellers are going into a new build. I'm hoping it'll be confirmed by midday and we can get the keys asap. Need to juggle picking up kids from school and things too so earlier the better (although I do have a back up plan for this)

burnoutbabe · 18/06/2021 20:02

I'd just book the movers fir the next day if you are not selling. Much less stress.

DaddysGirl36 · 18/06/2021 21:44

Gosh this is something I hadn't thought about as I've always just bought or sold with a rented property so has never been an issue.

Our chain has 4 in it. We are number 2 & our buyers are in rented from family so can be flexible but unsure what time we should book removals for & what time sellers will book their removals & leave so we can gain access.

Do we just discuss this between ourselves? Is it advisable to have them booked at same time so houses emptied & ready to go once we get the nod. Shit. I'm all anxious now

CasperGutman · 19/06/2021 06:30

Stupid question, but everyone who's talking about booking the movers for a particular time of day, what does that actually mean? As in, if they're booked for 12-2pm is that the time they'll aim to move you out of the old place or into the new one or what?

We've used movers a few times but never specified a time. They spent the day loading (having packed the day before), driving to the new place and unloading again.

I suppose moving less stuff would be quicker and our moves have been houses not flats, but the first was a very small two bed and in a flat the loading could take longer given the distance from the front door to the moving van....

Thisusedtobeaniceneighbourhood · 19/06/2021 06:40

We completed at about 11am I think. We had already had most of the house packed and our onward property was already empty, so I primed the solicitor for an early completion. We were still in our old house (cleaning it) when I got the call to say that had completed, so we finished up and then handed the keys off. Then there was about half an hour before we completed on our purchase. We drove to the EA and collected the keys. We were unloaded by the time I collected the kids from school.

DinosaurDiana · 19/06/2021 06:43

We were told 12md. We had to be out of ours by then, and that’s when our keys were to be available.

Roselilly36 · 19/06/2021 06:49

We didn’t get our keys for our new home until 16.10, my nerves and removers were a little razzled by then, movers rang us twice, saying we are outside your new address, when are you getting the keys. Our move involved a journey of over 3hrs. Solicitors told me they always aim to complete by 13:00hrs. Wasn’t my solicitor at fault but our buyers, who their just aren’t enough words to describe how diabolical he was. His google reviews aren’t wrong!

Original poster
SwimBaby · 22/06/2021 11:46

All went well ok yesterday despite not completing until 2.45 and the removal guys not arriving until
5.45!

OP posts:
Roselilly36 · 22/06/2021 13:09

@SwimBaby goodness, nothing is ever simple when it comes to moving is it! Many congrats wishing you good health & happiness in your new home.

Eleoura · 22/06/2021 15:32

@SwimBaby- Congrats!!! Glad it all went well. Out of interest, did they say 'thank you' or anything to that regard about the flat?

Original poster
SwimBaby · 22/06/2021 15:37

Eleoura I’m sorry I don’t understand your question.

OP posts:
Original poster
SwimBaby · 22/06/2021 15:42

Sorry ignore that, I realise what you mean now. I didn’t see the sellers as they moved out at the weekend. They left a set of instructions about how to turn the water on etc and a bottle of wine which was really nice. They also left the property spotless which I also appreciated.

OP posts:
Thatswhathappens · 22/06/2021 18:09

I didn’t get my keys till 2.30 and we were using a van and doing the move ourselves, so we still had another van load to go once we had unpacked the first load, I was beyond furious with my useless solicitors and my buyer was (rightly) Absolutley horrible to me and the estate agents as I couldn’t get the keys to the estate agent until 5.00, it was a nightmare and felt like such a mess, we had packed our first van load by 10.00am!

cancancan · 22/06/2021 18:20

God when we moved, no chain. It was a right pain!

Our seller was moving Abroad... EA phoned day before completion to confirm seller was all packed up and ready to go... got the call around midday to say all completed. We called the EA to arrange to get keys "oh yep they are just finishing final bits will call once we have the keys"
We drove to the house to find the biggest removal lorry we've ever seen parked in the small residential street. Apparently they'd had to ask parked cars to move so they could get the lorry in!!
And they were still moving stuff out... we waited around for ages and in the end we just started moving in whilst they were still moving out!!
So much for them all being packed and ready!!

Congrats on your new home OP!

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