There is a rather peculiar stage on completion day when your worldly possessions may be sitting in a removal van, your old home no longer feels like yours and your new home is not quite yours either.
You may have been awake since dawn, packed the kettle in the wrong box and checked your phone every few minutes. Meanwhile, the event on which the entire move depends is taking place almost invisibly between conveyancers and banks.
I remember the temptation on moving day to assume that, because everybody was ready and the removal van had arrived, the legal process must be ready too. Unfortunately, furniture and money do not always travel at the same speed.
Quick answer: Completion day is when the buyer’s conveyancer sends the balance of the purchase price to the seller’s conveyancer. Once the money has been received and completion confirmed, the seller must give up possession and the buyer can normally collect the keys and move in.
Completion commonly takes place during the late morning or early afternoon, but there is no guaranteed time. A buyer should not enter the property or collect the keys until the seller’s conveyancer has formally authorised their release.
This guide explains what happens on completion day in England and Wales, what buyers and sellers need to do, when the keys are released and what happens if the money or move is delayed.
Contents
- What is completion day in conveyancing?
- What is the difference between exchange and completion?
- What happens before completion day?
- What happens on completion day?
- What time does completion happen?
- When do you get the keys?
- What should the buyer do?
- What should the seller do?
- How does a property chain affect completion?
- What can go wrong on completion day?
- What happens after completion?
- Frequently asked questions
What is completion day in conveyancing?
Completion is the stage at which the buyer pays the balance of the purchase price and the seller gives the buyer possession of the property in accordance with the sale contract.
In an ordinary transaction, the buyer’s conveyancer sends the completion money electronically to the seller’s conveyancer. The money will usually include the buyer’s mortgage advance, any proceeds from the buyer’s related sale and the buyer’s own remaining contribution.
Once the seller’s conveyancer has received the required funds, they confirm completion and authorise the keys to be released. The buyer can then enter and occupy the property.
People often describe this as the moment when legal ownership transfers. That is a useful practical description, although registered land involves a technical distinction.
Completion concludes the sale between the buyer and seller and normally entitles the buyer to possession. However, a transfer of registered land does not operate at law until it has been registered at HM Land Registry. The buyer’s conveyancer therefore deals with the registration application after completion.
This technical interval does not ordinarily prevent the buyer from collecting the keys, living in the property or treating it as their home. HM Land Registry explains that registration takes place after the sale and that a buyer can move in while the registration application is being processed. See its guidance on why a newly purchased property may not yet appear in the buyer’s name.
Completion is one stage in the wider residential conveyancing process.
What is the difference between exchange and completion?
Exchange and completion are separate legal stages, although they can occasionally happen on the same day.
Exchange of contracts is when the buyer and seller become legally bound to proceed. The completion date is agreed and inserted into the contract. Withdrawing after exchange or failing to complete on the agreed date can have serious financial consequences.
Completion is when the purchase money is paid, the seller gives up possession and the buyer can normally collect the keys.
The period between the two stages is often one or two weeks, although there is no compulsory minimum. The parties may agree a shorter or longer interval depending on the chain, mortgage arrangements and practical needs of the move.
My separate guide explains what happens when contracts are exchanged.
It is also possible to exchange and complete on the same day. This can work well for a straightforward, chain-free transaction, but it leaves buyers and sellers without the usual period of certainty in which to book removals and make final arrangements.
What happens before completion day?
Completion day may look like a single bank transfer, but the conveyancers will usually have carried out several final checks beforehand.
The buyer receives a completion statement
The buyer’s conveyancer prepares a financial statement showing the purchase price, deposit already paid, mortgage advance, legal costs, property tax, registration fee and any other relevant payments.
The statement identifies the amount the buyer must provide from their own money. This should be transferred in cleared funds by the deadline given by the conveyancer, which will normally be before completion day.
A buyer should not wait until the morning of completion to send a substantial balance unless that has been expressly agreed. Bank limits, security checks or a delayed transfer can otherwise jeopardise the purchase.
Large property payments also attract criminals. Never act on an emailed change of bank details without verifying it through a trusted telephone number. The Government’s official home-buying guide includes practical guidance about conveyancing fraud.
The mortgage advance is requested
Where the buyer has a mortgage, the buyer’s conveyancer requests the advance from the lender in accordance with the lender’s notice requirements.
Some conveyancers arrange for the money to arrive on the working day before completion, particularly where the lender permits this. Others receive it on completion morning. The precise arrangement depends on the lender, the conveyancer and the mortgage conditions.
The conveyancer must be satisfied that the lender’s requirements have been met before using the mortgage money to complete.
Final searches are carried out
The buyer’s conveyancer normally carries out a final priority search against the registered title. This checks whether the register has changed and protects the buyer’s proposed registration for a limited priority period.
Where a mortgage is involved, an additional search is normally made against the buyer’s name to check for bankruptcy entries that could affect the lender.
These are different from the local authority, drainage and environmental reports obtained earlier in the transaction. Those earlier investigations are explained in my guide to conveyancing searches.
The seller obtains a mortgage redemption figure
If the seller has an existing mortgage, their conveyancer obtains an up-to-date redemption statement from the lender.
This confirms the amount required to repay the mortgage on the intended completion date. The figure may include daily interest and an early repayment charge or administration fee.
The seller’s conveyancer must ensure that the sale proceeds will be sufficient to discharge the mortgage and any other secured borrowing that must be removed from the title.
The signed transfer is made ready
The seller will usually have signed the transfer deed before completion. The seller’s conveyancer holds the document so that it can be delivered to the buyer’s conveyancer as part of the completion arrangements.
Most residential completions are dealt with under professional arrangements that allow the seller’s conveyancer to complete the transaction, hold the relevant documents to the buyer’s order and undertake to repay the seller’s mortgage.
The practical arrangements are confirmed
The estate agent should have a complete set of keys and know who is authorised to collect them. In a private sale, the parties may make another arrangement through their conveyancers.
The seller should also have checked the fittings and contents form and removed everything that is not included in the sale.
Buyers should remember that the risk of damage to the property usually passes at exchange under the standard contractual conditions, not on completion. My guide explains why buildings insurance is normally required from exchange.
What happens on completion day?
Every transaction is different, but an ordinary completion day usually follows this sequence.
The buyer’s conveyancer checks the money
The buyer’s conveyancer confirms that they hold the mortgage advance, the buyer’s contribution and any money arriving from a related sale.
They also carry out any final file checks and confirm that there is no reason why the purchase should not complete.
The completion money is sent
The buyer’s conveyancer sends the amount required under the contract to the seller’s conveyancer, normally by a same-day electronic bank transfer.
The transfer is not necessarily instantaneous. It may be subject to processing by the sending bank, receiving bank or an intermediary payment system.
In a chain, the buyer’s conveyancer may first need to receive the proceeds from their client’s sale. This is why money often moves progressively through the chain during the day.
The seller’s conveyancer receives and checks the funds
The seller’s conveyancer confirms that the correct amount has arrived. Only then can they treat the sale as completed.
They notify the buyer’s conveyancer and normally contact the estate agent to authorise release of the keys.
The keys are released
The estate agent contacts the buyer, who can collect the keys and enter the property.
The buyer should wait for this confirmation even if the seller has already moved out or the estate agent believes completion is imminent. Until formal authority has been given, the agent should not release the keys.
The seller’s conveyancer deals with the sale proceeds
After completion, the seller’s conveyancer repays the seller’s mortgage and any other secured debts covered by their undertakings.
They may also pay the estate agent’s account, deduct the legal costs and use some or all of the proceeds towards the seller’s related purchase.
Any remaining net proceeds are sent to the seller. A seller should not assume that the balance will necessarily reach their personal account at the exact moment the estate agent releases the keys.
What time does completion happen?
There is no universal time at which every property transaction completes.
A short, chain-free transaction may complete during the morning. A purchase near the top of a long chain may not complete until considerably later because the money must pass through several firms and bank accounts first.
Late morning to early afternoon is common, but it is sensible to prepare for a later handover. A buyer should not arrange an essential delivery, locksmith or contractor on the assumption that the keys will be available at a particular hour.
Is 2pm the completion deadline?
Many online explanations describe 2pm as though it were an absolute legal deadline. That is an oversimplification.
Most residential contracts incorporate the Law Society’s Standard Conditions of Sale. Under those conditions, receipt of the completion money after 2pm can affect the calculation of contractual compensation by treating completion as taking place on the following working day for that purpose.
That does not necessarily mean the transaction must be abandoned at 2pm or that completion cannot validly occur later that afternoon. The contract may also alter the standard provisions or specify a different time.
The precise legal consequences therefore depend on the wording of the particular contract. The Law Society publishes information about the Standard Conditions of Sale.
From the mover’s perspective, the safer assumption is much simpler: The keys will be released when the seller’s conveyancer confirms receipt of the money, not at a guaranteed time printed on a general moving-day checklist.
When do you get the keys on completion day?
The buyer normally receives the keys after the seller’s conveyancer has confirmed completion and authorised their release.
The keys are usually collected from the estate agent. The buyer may be asked to provide identification, particularly if the member of staff dealing with the collection has not met them before.
Where no estate agent is involved, the seller may leave the keys with their conveyancer, a neighbour or another agreed person. The arrangement should be confirmed before completion day.
Can the buyer collect the keys early?
Not ordinarily. The fact that the seller has moved out or left the keys with the estate agent does not entitle the buyer to enter before completion.
Early access requires the seller’s express agreement and should be documented properly. Even allowing a buyer to store belongings or begin decorating can create problems involving insurance, damage and responsibility for the property.
Where a buyer needs to move in before the purchase completes, the parties may consider a formal licence to occupy before completion.
What should the buyer do on completion day?
The buyer does not normally need to attend the conveyancer’s office or sign documents on completion day. Most of the legal work takes place between the conveyancers.
The buyer should nevertheless remain contactable and avoid travelling somewhere with poor telephone reception just as a question arises about the funds or keys.
A practical buyer’s checklist is:
- Keep your phone charged and check that your conveyancer and estate agent have the correct number.
- Do not travel to the property on the assumption that completion will happen first thing.
- Wait for formal confirmation before collecting the keys or entering.
- Keep medication, documents, chargers, food and essential items with you rather than in the removal van.
- Take dated photographs of the gas, electricity and water meter readings as soon as you enter.
- Check that the property is vacant and that the agreed fixtures and fittings remain.
- Contact the relevant utility and council tax providers promptly.
When I have moved home, the most useful box has never been the one marked “kitchen”. It has been the slightly untidy bag containing a kettle, mugs, telephone chargers, basic tools and the documents nobody could afford to lose.
What should the buyer check on arrival?
The buyer should carry out a sensible initial inspection before the removal van is completely unloaded.
Check that the seller and other occupiers have left, that no substantial quantity of belongings or rubbish remains and that the condition of the property is broadly consistent with what was agreed.
The buyer should also compare the contents with the fittings and contents form. My separate guide explains what should be left when a property is sold.
If something important is wrong, take photographs and contact the conveyancer promptly. Do not begin an argument with the seller or dispose of disputed property before obtaining advice.
What should the seller do on completion day?
A seller who has agreed to provide vacant possession must be ready to hand over the property in accordance with the contract when completion takes place.
That normally means all occupiers have left and the seller has removed their belongings, apart from anything expressly included in the sale.
A practical seller’s checklist is:
- Finish packing and loading as much as possible before completion morning.
- Empty the loft, garage, shed, cupboards and other easily forgotten spaces.
- Remove rubbish and items that the buyer has not agreed to accept.
- Leave all fixtures, fittings and contents included in the sale.
- Take photographs of the final meter readings.
- Give every set of keys, alarm code and access device to the agreed person.
- Remain contactable until the conveyancer confirms completion.
The Government’s official guide to selling a home recommends being packed and ready because completion and key handover often occur around lunchtime, although delays remain possible.
When must the seller move out?
The seller should not wait for the completion telephone call before beginning to load the removal van.
If the contract requires vacant possession, the property must be ready to hand over when completion occurs. A seller who is still packing several hours later may be in breach of contract and may disrupt every related move further up the chain.
The exact contractual position depends on the terms of the sale. A property sold subject to a tenancy or other occupational arrangement will be treated differently from an ordinary owner-occupied home sold with vacant possession.
How does a property chain affect completion?
A property chain is one of the main reasons completion may happen later than expected.
Imagine a first-time buyer purchasing from somebody who is buying another property, whose seller is also purchasing elsewhere. The first buyer’s mortgage and deposit may provide the money that begins the process.
Once the first sale completes, those proceeds can be sent towards the next purchase. That money then helps fund the following transaction, and so on.
Each conveyancer must receive and verify the relevant funds before sending money onwards. Even where everybody has acted properly, the chain cannot complete everywhere at once.
The buyer at the bottom may therefore collect their keys during the morning, while somebody near the top waits until later in the afternoon.
A delay in one transfer can affect several households. This is frustrating, but repeated telephone calls to every professional involved will not make the banking system move more quickly. The estate agent and conveyancer should provide updates when something meaningful changes.
What can go wrong on completion day?
Most transactions complete without a serious problem. However, moving day combines large financial transfers, tight contractual obligations and several organisations, so delays do occur.
The mortgage money has not arrived
A lender may release the mortgage advance later than expected or a payment may require investigation.
This is one reason conveyancers usually request the advance in advance of the contractual date and ask the buyer to provide their own contribution early.
A bank transfer is delayed
Even a correctly instructed same-day transfer may take time to reach the receiving account. The seller’s conveyancer cannot confirm completion merely because the buyer’s conveyancer says the payment has been sent.
The receiving firm must be satisfied that the money has actually arrived.
Money is held up elsewhere in the chain
A buyer who is also selling may depend on those sale proceeds to complete their purchase. If their buyer’s money is late, the onward purchase is also delayed.
The buyer has not provided enough money
A small shortfall can prevent completion. It may arise from a misunderstood completion statement, a bank charge, an increased mortgage redemption figure elsewhere in the chain or a last-minute adjustment.
This is why completion statements should be checked carefully rather than left unread until moving day.
The seller has not moved out
If completion has occurred and the sale required vacant possession, the buyer should ordinarily be able to occupy without the seller, tenants or substantial unwanted belongings remaining.
The buyer should contact their conveyancer immediately. Depending on the circumstances, the seller may be responsible for losses caused by the breach.
Fixtures or fittings are missing
A seller may remove an item that the fittings and contents form said would remain. Alternatively, the buyer may discover rubbish or unwanted furniture that should have been taken away.
Photographs and the completed form will be important. The appropriate response depends on the value of the item, the wording of the contract and the cost of putting matters right.
The property has been damaged
Minor marks caused by moving furniture are different from substantial damage, removal of fixtures or an unexpected escape of water.
The buyer should record the condition and contact both the conveyancer and insurer where appropriate. The contractual risk will usually have passed to the buyer at exchange, although damage caused by the seller or a breach of an express obligation may raise separate issues.
Completion does not take place on the agreed date
Failure to complete on the contractual date does not necessarily bring the transaction automatically to an end.
The party in default may have to pay contractual compensation and reimburse certain losses. The innocent party may also be able to serve a notice to complete, making time of the essence and requiring completion within the contractual notice period.
The consequences can become particularly complicated where the default travels through a chain. My guide to delayed conveyancing completion explains the position in more detail.
What happens after completion?
Collecting the keys is the end of the move, but it is not the end of the conveyancing work.
The seller’s mortgage is repaid
The seller’s conveyancer sends the redemption money to the mortgage lender and obtains the release of the charge over the property.
Where the conveyancer has undertaken to discharge the mortgage, they remain responsible for ensuring that the necessary release is dealt with.
Property tax is submitted and paid
For a property in England, the buyer’s conveyancer will usually submit the Stamp Duty Land Tax return and pay any tax from money already provided by the buyer. The ordinary deadline is 14 days after the effective date, which is usually completion. See the Government’s Stamp Duty Land Tax guidance.
Stamp Duty Land Tax does not apply to land in Wales. A Welsh purchase may instead require a Land Transaction Tax return and payment to the Welsh Revenue Authority. The ordinary deadline is 30 days beginning with the day after the effective date. See the Welsh Government’s Land Transaction Tax guidance.
The buyer is registered at HM Land Registry
The buyer’s conveyancer applies to HM Land Registry to register the transfer and, where relevant, the buyer’s new mortgage.
A straightforward application may be processed relatively quickly, while a new-build property, transfer of part, first registration or complicated title may take longer.
A delay at HM Land Registry does not normally undo the completed purchase. The priority search and registration application protect the buyer’s position, provided the application is made correctly and within the relevant priority period.
Leasehold notices and certificates are dealt with
Where the property is leasehold, the buyer’s conveyancer may need to serve notice of the transfer and mortgage on the landlord or managing agent.
The lease may also require a deed of covenant, membership of a management company, a compliance certificate or payment of registration fees.
Some estate-managed freehold properties have similar post-completion requirements.
The buyer deals with everyday accounts
The buyer should notify the council, utility companies, insurer, electoral registration office and other organisations of the move.
Mail redirection can reduce the risk of important or confidential correspondence continuing to arrive at the old address. Royal Mail provides an official mail redirection service.
Frequently asked questions
How long after exchange is completion?
There is no legally required interval. Many ordinary transactions complete one or two weeks after exchange, but the parties may agree a few days, several weeks or simultaneous exchange and completion.
A new-build purchase may exchange with completion taking place later on notice once the property is ready.
Can completion happen without exchange?
In an ordinary residential sale, contracts must be exchanged before completion or as part of a simultaneous exchange and completion arrangement.
Until exchange has taken place, the parties are not normally contractually bound to complete the sale.
Does the buyer need to be present for completion?
No. The conveyancers deal with the legal process and money transfers. The buyer normally only needs to remain contactable and collect the keys after completion has been confirmed.
Does the seller need to be present?
No. The seller should normally have left the property and deposited the keys with the estate agent or another agreed person before completion.
Can the seller remain in the property after completion?
Not where the contract requires vacant possession, unless the buyer expressly agrees to another legally documented arrangement.
Allowing the seller to stay informally can create problems involving occupation, insurance, damage and possession. Any proposed arrangement should be raised with the conveyancers before exchange.
Can the buyer move in on completion day?
Yes. The buyer can normally move in as soon as completion has been confirmed and the keys have been released.
The buyer should not enter merely because the property appears empty or the removal company has arrived.
Can completion take place at a weekend?
Ordinary residential completion almost always takes place on a working day. Conveyancers, mortgage lenders and the banking systems used for same-day transfers need to be available.
A bespoke cash transaction might theoretically involve different arrangements, but weekend completion is not the normal residential conveyancing process.
Is Friday the best day to complete?
Friday is popular because buyers and sellers have the weekend to unpack. It is also one of the busiest days for conveyancers, banks, estate agents and removal companies.
A problem late on a Friday can be harder to resolve before offices close. Completing between Tuesday and Thursday may provide more time to address an unexpected issue and may offer greater availability from removal firms.
How will I know when completion has happened?
Your conveyancer or estate agent should contact you. The estate agent normally waits for authority from the seller’s conveyancer before releasing the keys.
Do not rely on an update from somebody elsewhere in the chain as confirmation that your own transaction has completed.
Why does my conveyancer want my money before completion day?
The conveyancer needs cleared funds before sending the completion payment. Receiving the buyer’s contribution early allows time to resolve bank limits, payment checks or an unexpected shortfall.
The money is held in the conveyancer’s client account pending completion.
When does the seller receive the sale money?
The seller’s conveyancer receives the purchase price on completion. They then deal with the mortgage, estate agent’s account, legal costs and any connected purchase.
The net balance may reach the seller later that day, but the timing depends on the payments that must first be made and the seller’s bank.
What happens if the completion money arrives after 2pm?
Completion may still take place that afternoon. However, the Standard Conditions of Sale can treat receipt after 2pm as completion on the following working day for the purpose of calculating contractual compensation.
The particular contract may vary the standard position, so the conveyancers must check its actual terms.
What if my name is not yet shown at HM Land Registry?
This is normal immediately after completion. The buyer’s conveyancer must first deal with the property tax requirements and submit the registration application.
HM Land Registry will update the register after processing the application. More complex registrations can take significantly longer than routine applications.
The calmest completion days are prepared in advance
Completion day is rarely improved by expecting everything to happen at 9am.
The buyer’s best protection is to provide cleared funds early, keep expectations realistic and wait for formal confirmation before approaching the property. The seller’s responsibility is to be packed, out and ready to provide vacant possession when the money arrives.
There may still be an uncomfortable hour when the removal van is full, the telephone is silent and nobody can tell you precisely where the money is. That does not necessarily mean anything has gone wrong. Often, it means only that a bank transfer is making its way through the chain.
Once receipt is confirmed, the keys can be released and the legal process suddenly becomes something reassuringly tangible: A front door, an empty room and, with luck, the kettle close at hand.
Last legally reviewed: 2 August 2026
This guide is based on general principles of English and Welsh law, is intended for informational purposes only, and does not constitute legal advice or establish a professional relationship.
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