What actually happens on completion day?

[Dontknowwhatisgoingon]

Last time we were ftb and I remember collecting the keys to our new house at about 2pm. But how does it work now, as we are buying a new house (empty) and selling ours (cash buyers).
We've had really short notice after the sale going on for over 8 months that we are completing on Monday. We've managed to get the world's most expensive removals company as they were the only ones available at such short notice, but they will be turning up at 8am Monday morning. I took yesterday off work and packed the entire house (my whole body is aching!!) So the entire contents of our house are sat in the kitchen. We also have pets to move.

How to the logistics work? I'm worried we will need more than 1 trip with removals- do we have to leave all our stuff outside the new house, come back for the second load, and then hand our keys in and collect the new keys? As I imagine we can't get the new keys until we've handed in ours? I've also not managed to get pet care at such short notice so will have to take a separate trip with my dogs- I really didn't want them in the house on moving day and I'm getting really worried about how it's all going to work!

Its too late notice to get all our stuff in storage, as all the companies I've called have a week minimum.

Any suggestions? Or am I just worrying for no reason and it'll all be fine(hopefully!)

Just to add, our solicitor says she is hoping to exchange tomorrow but if not it will be exchange and complete on Monday...

We bought a new house too and we completed at 9:30am because we weren't waiting for anyone else

Are your buyers in a chain? The limiting factor will be how quickly they pay your solicitor.

You need to get one load in the van and on the way to the new place as early as possible. If your movers are arriving at 8, then even if it takes two trips you should have your house empty by lunchtime.

Technically as soon as your solicitor is paid you don't own the house any more so your stuff should be gone, but most buyers will be understanding especially if you're on your second load by the time they turn up - I mean I would be and I think I'm a pretty reasonable person.

Best of luck for Monday!

I should think if there's no chain it could be quite flexible, so you could have keys to both whilst you move your stuff to new house then hand over your old keys once you've vacated the house.

How far away is the new house? If it’s close by then it should be fine, as soon as you get the keys get the van unloaded and send them back for the second lot. Dogs can go in your car once all the things are out the house.

Thank you both. So do you think we might be able to get keys for new house (empty due to emigrating not a new build if that's makes a difference) before we hand over ours? That would make a massive difference.

Although our sellers wouldn't have our money until our buyers have paid? So confusing!!

Thank you for the luck- will need it!

@Overthebow the new house is about 40 mins away so I'm hoping it won't take too long!

I’ve never used a removal company that don’t take all my stuff in one go, they usually visited my house in order to assess the contents before they give a quote and on the move day turn up with a vehicle large enough to fit everything in.

In my last move, I was putting all my belongings into storage and going to live with my mum for a few months while I looked for a new house. The removal van turned up early and began loading up the van while I cleaned each room after it was emptied. I stayed at my house until I received a phone call from my solicitor saying my funds had been received and I then left the house. My buyers were by then outside with their removal van so I was able to give them the keys but in previous moves, I had to pop round to my estate agents to give them the keys to pass on to new owners.

In another move when we moved over 200 miles away, I loaded up my car with children and pets in the morning and headed up to my new house, getting there just in time to collect the keys from the estate agents - previous owners had moved out earlier that day. My husband remained at the old house until it was emptied and then drove up to join us at our new house later that evening.

You should not need to make more than one journey as all your things should fit into one vehicle. Once you have agreed arrangements re handing over your keys ( after transfer of money obviously) you leave! You don’t usually get the keys to your new house until your money has been received by your sellers solicitor but again, you agree how to get the keys beforehand. It usually takes all day, start emptying your house early, wait for the money transfer then leave your old house, getting to your new house with just enough time to unload before collapsing with a takeaway meal surrounded by boxes!

If you've got removals booked, are you sure it will need 2 trips? Unless it's a massive house, crammed with furniture, removers will probably pack your house into 1 lorry.

Either way, you won't be able to get into the new house until completion has taken place, and you should be out of your current one for completion. Normal procedure would be to spend the morning having the removal men load up the lorry (they work at LIGHTNING speed, so make sure you don't leave anything out that you might need to get your hands on - if they see it, they'll load it), then they're ready to go for completion. If the lorry is loaded up before completion has actually taken place they will head over to the new place and wait there until you have the keys.

Your new buyers will be in the same situation, so they may be outside ready before they have the keys, so that they're ready to get in as soon as they have keys! But all being well, you'll have gone by then...

Thank you all! We were only able to get a 'large trailer van' at the short notice- no idea how big this is but fingers crossed everything will fit!!

Oh, your buyers will need to complete on your house before you can complete on your new one. Money goes down the chain. You won't own two houses at the same time to be able to be leisurely about it.

But if you're still moving when the buyers arrive, if you try and keep boxes to a minimal number of rooms so they can start moving in that's all you can really do.

Your purchase won't complete until your sale completes because the money needs to pass down the chain. So no you won't be able to stagger ownership.

I also doubt your removal men will be willing to make two trips unless they have explicitly agreed this with you and priced it into their quote.

Thank you @SausageAndEggSandwich @NotDavidTennant . It sounds like it's going to be a very stressful day. The quote is for the morning, as many trips as needed until 12.

You'll be fine. If you have to start unloading on the driveway of the new house it is what it is!

8-12 and 40 minutes each way? Seems optimistic if you need two trips. What's your per hour price after the 4th hour?

And you didn't have to agree to Monday. Completion date is discussed / agreed between the parties. Bearing in mind you haven't exchanged, can you change it?

You cant have the keys until the chain, including your purchase is complete. It could all be done by 10am but it might take until 5pm dependent upon the speed of the solicitors, what else they have on that day. I would be prepared that you might get all your stuff out within your 4 hours but that a full delivery van may be sat outside your new house waiting to unload until later in the day. You could enquire with the EA whether current owners of your purchase will let you have the keys prior to formal completion. We have done this before.

Thanks all. I've rung the estate agent and current owner has agreed to give us access with estate agent present the day before to drop off boxes- so hopefully we will manage with this!
Re the date- we have been waiting for 8 months on our buyers, this is apparently the only date they can do. We have been left waiting weeks at a time at every stage, and our solicitor has advised we agree to the date as she thinks we will have trouble agreeing a different date. They have dictated everything to us the entire way, but they are the only viewing and only (very low) offer we received after 6 months on the market....

You can’t get the keys to your new property until the transaction of the house sale has completed. You’d also have to do the move in one run too as once that sale has completed - your current property is not yours - if you need a second van - then I’d get one - just for the peace of mind.
You wouldn’t be able to store your belongings in the front garden of your current house to do trips neither as logistically, the new owners will be moving in and legally, it will no longer be your property. Storage could be an option?

The sale of your house will happen first. You need to be completely out of your house at the completion of that sale, and drop your keys off.
Then you have enough money to buy the new house. As soon as that completes, you can pick up the keys and move in.

You will need to do it in one trip on the actual day.

Yes, it's a stressful day. Any way you can get the van for longer? It would be unusual to complete early enough to be unloaded at the new house by 12.

There is a way legally to get access to your new house if, as in your case, the owners agree. I can’t remember what the legal terminology is, a grant of some kind I think, but it allows the buyer to enter the property to drop off things, measure up and even start decorating in between exchange and completion. You usually collect keys from estate agent and drop off again at night, you cannot live there or move all your goods in.

So it seems as if the people you are buying from are granting you this access even if they are not asking for a legal agreement. Excellent news for you!

Once you have paid across your money to the solicitors for vendors of the new house you are moving into, then you get the keys. They won't release them until they are paid.

Thank you, this all makes perfect sense! I think I was just getting over stressed as it's such short notice- but I was beginning to think it would never happen!
Ive checked today and our estate agents have actually recently closed their office in our town, and the next nearest office is 43 minutes away, so I hope they have some contingency plan for this as I don't know how we will fit dropping the keys off in!