The short answer
After an offer is accepted, arrange your conveyancer, progress your mortgage and decide on a survey. These run alongside legal checks. You become committed at exchange of contracts, and normally get the keys when completion is confirmed.
An accepted offer starts the checks. It is not the same as a completed purchase.Put your team and budget in place
Choose a conveyancer who can deal with your property type and, if needed, act for your mortgage lender. Compare the whole quote and service, including how you will receive updates and who will handle the matter.
Budget beyond the deposit. Consider legal costs, tax where applicable, searches, a survey, lender fees, moving costs and a buffer for issues you discover. A mortgage agreement in principle is not the final mortgage offer for the property.
Turn an accepted offer into clear instructions
The estate agent usually circulates a memorandum of sale with the agreed price and the parties' details. Check it carefully and tell your conveyancer about gifted money, shared ownership, a new build or a linked sale straight away.
Complete the engagement and identity steps promptly. Your conveyancer will need to understand where the purchase money comes from. Keep a clear trail of savings, gifts and sale proceeds, rather than waiting until the money needs to be transferred.
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Let the checks answer different questions
The conveyancer examines the title, contract and relevant documents, obtains searches and raises enquiries. A surveyor looks at the building's condition within the scope of the survey you commission. Your lender's valuation has a different purpose again.
Ask what each report means for your intended use of the property. If you plan an extension, a home business or letting, raise it early. A legal right to own a property is not a promise that every planned use will be permitted.
Understand the point of commitment
Before exchange, read the report from your conveyancer and ask about anything you do not understand. Confirm the mortgage offer, deposit arrangements, insurance responsibilities and completion date.
In a usual England and Wales residential transaction, the agreement becomes binding at exchange. Signing papers does not by itself mean contracts have exchanged. Ask your conveyancer to confirm the actual exchange before treating your moving date as fixed. Auctions and reservation arrangements can differ.
Prepare for completion and what follows
Confirm how and when to send the remaining funds using bank details independently verified with your firm. Avoid making a large transfer solely because an email tells you the account has changed.
On completion, wait for confirmation that the seller can release the keys. Take meter readings, check the property and retain important documents. Your conveyancer will then deal with applicable tax and registration work; registration can finish after you have moved in.
Your next steps
- Choose a firm suitable for your lender and property.
- Prepare identity and source-of-funds evidence.
- Read the survey and legal report before exchange.
- Verify bank details and the funds-to-complete figure.
A little more clarity
Can I book removals as soon as my offer is accepted?
You can research options, but a proposed date may change before exchange. Check cancellation terms and ask your conveyancer when the date is contractually agreed.
Further reading
- GOV.UK: How to buy a home (opens in a new tab)
- HM Land Registry: Protect property from fraud (opens in a new tab)
General information for England and Wales, not advice on your individual transaction. Millennium Legal is a referral and case management service, not a firm of solicitors. Your appointed firm provides legal advice. Check current official guidance and your own terms.
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