What Happens on Completion Day: Hour-by-Hour Seller's Guide

Completion day is the finish line. After weeks or months of paperwork, negotiations, surveys, and solicitor enquiries, this is the day your property sale actually happens. The money moves, the keys change hands, and the property is no longer yours. It should be straightforward, but for many sellers it is also one of the most stressful days of the process — partly because so much is happening behind the scenes that you cannot see.

This guide takes you through completion day hour by hour, from preparation the night before to the final admin in the afternoon. It explains what your solicitor is doing, what the estate agent is doing, and what you need to do to make the day run smoothly. For a broader overview of the final stages of a sale, see our guide on what happens on completion day for sellers. For the period between exchange and completion, see our guide on what happens between exchange and completion.

The night before completion

Good preparation the night before makes completion day itself much less stressful. Here is what to have ready:

Packing and clearing

• Finish packing all personal belongings. Everything that is not included in the sale must be removed by the time the buyer collects the keys.
• Check the TA10 fittings and contents form to confirm which items you agreed to leave. Light fittings, curtain poles, built-in shelving, and any appliances listed as included must remain.
• Clean the property to a reasonable standard. It does not need to be professionally cleaned (unless your contract says otherwise), but it should be tidy and broom-swept. Leaving a dirty or rubbish-filled property can result in the buyer claiming compensation.
• Remove all rubbish and recycling. Do not leave bags of waste for the buyer to deal with.

Meter readings and utilities

• Take photographs of all utility meter readings (gas, electricity, water) on the morning of completion. You will need these to close your accounts and to avoid being charged for the buyer's usage.
• Contact your utility providers (gas, electricity, water, broadband, council tax) to notify them that you are moving out. Most providers allow you to do this online. Give them the completion date and your forwarding address.
• Cancel or redirect your post via Royal Mail. A redirection service costs approximately £35 for three months and ensures you receive any post sent to your old address.

Keys and access

• Gather all keys for the property: front door, back door, garage, shed, window locks, alarm fob, and any communal area keys. Label them clearly.
• Confirm with your estate agent where you will drop off the keys. Most agents expect you to deliver them to their office on completion morning.
• If you have a burglar alarm, write down the code for the buyer. Similarly, leave instructions for any smart home systems, heating controls, or appliances that are included in the sale.

Contact details

• Make sure you have your solicitor's direct phone number (not just the switchboard). You may need to reach them quickly during the day.
• Have your estate agent's number to hand as well.
• Keep your phone charged and the ringer on. Your solicitor will call you when completion is confirmed.

Completion day: hour by hour

Here is a typical completion day timeline for a seller. The exact times will vary depending on your chain, your solicitor, and your location, but this gives you a realistic picture of how the day unfolds.

7am–8am: Final preparations

• Do a final walk-through of the property. Check every room, cupboard, loft space, garage, and garden for anything you have forgotten to pack.
• Take meter readings and photograph them. Note the date and time.
• If the removal company is coming, they typically arrive between 7am and 8am. Let them in and supervise the loading.
• Leave any instruction manuals, appliance warranties, or spare keys on a kitchen worktop where the buyer will find them.

8am–9am: Vacate and lock up

• Finish loading the removal van. Do a final check that nothing has been left behind.
• Lock all doors and windows. Set the alarm if there is one.
• Take the keys to your estate agent's office (or wherever you have agreed to leave them). The agent will hold them until they receive confirmation of completion from the solicitors.

9am–10am: Solicitors begin work

Behind the scenes, the solicitors are starting the day:

• Your buyer's solicitor requests the mortgage funds from the buyer's lender (if not already received the day before). Most lenders release funds on the morning of completion via CHAPS.
• The buyer's solicitor combines the mortgage funds with the buyer's deposit (held on their client account since exchange) and prepares to send the total purchase price to your solicitor.
• If you are in a chain, each solicitor in the chain is waiting for the funds to flow through from the bottom (typically the first-time buyer or cash buyer) upwards.

10am–2pm: Funds transfer

This is the main event. The purchase funds are sent via CHAPS from the buyer's solicitor to your solicitor. Key points:

• No chain or short chain: Funds often arrive by late morning (10am–12pm).
• Long chain (four or more properties): Funds may not arrive until 1pm–2pm, as each link in the chain must complete before the next one can proceed.
• Your solicitor will check the amount received matches the agreed purchase price. If there is a discrepancy, they will contact the buyer's solicitor immediately.
• Once the funds are confirmed, your solicitor will call you to confirm that completion has taken place.

For more on how the money moves, see our guide on how solicitors handle completion money.

Immediately after funds are confirmed

Once your solicitor confirms receipt of the funds, several things happen in quick succession:

1. Completion is confirmed. Your solicitor contacts the buyer's solicitor to formally confirm that completion has taken place. This triggers the release of keys.
2. Estate agent notified. The estate agent receives confirmation from one or both solicitors and releases the keys to the buyer.
3. Mortgage redemption. Your solicitor sends the outstanding mortgage balance to your lender via CHAPS. The lender processes the redemption and begins the process of removing their charge from the title (this takes a few weeks in the background).
4. Outstanding costs deducted. Your solicitor deducts their professional fee, any outstanding disbursements, and any other agreed payments from the remaining funds.
5. Net proceeds sent to you. Your solicitor sends your net sale proceeds to your bank account via CHAPS. This is usually done within an hour of completion, so the money should arrive in your account by end of the same business day.

2pm–3pm: Keys released to buyer

• The buyer collects the keys from the estate agent's office.
• The property is now legally the buyer's. They can enter, move in, and change the locks if they wish.
• If you are buying another property on the same day, you should receive keys to your new home around the same time (depending on the chain).

3pm–5pm: Solicitor admin

Your solicitor completes the administrative tasks:

• Sends the signed transfer deed (TR1) to the buyer's solicitor.
• Confirms the mortgage redemption payment has been sent and provides proof to the lender.
• Prepares your final completion statement, showing how the sale proceeds were allocated: purchase price received, mortgage redeemed, fees deducted, net proceeds sent to you.
• Files their records and closes the matter (though they may send you the completion statement and final correspondence over the following few days).

What your estate agent does on completion day

Your estate agent has a relatively simple but important role on completion day:

• Receives and holds keys. The agent holds your keys securely until they receive confirmation of completion from the solicitors.
• Releases keys to the buyer. Once completion is confirmed, the agent contacts the buyer to arrange collection. Most agents require the buyer to collect in person with ID.
• Invoices for their fee. The estate agent's commission becomes payable on completion. Some agents deduct their fee from the sale proceeds (via your solicitor), while others invoice you separately. Confirm the arrangement with your agent before completion day.

Common problems on completion day

Most completion days go smoothly, but problems can and do arise. Here are the most common issues and how to handle them:

Late funds

The most common problem is funds arriving later than expected. This usually happens because of a chain delay (one party's mortgage lender is slow to release funds) or because a CHAPS payment is queued at the sending bank. In most cases, the funds arrive later the same day. Your solicitor will keep you updated and will chase the buyer's solicitor for an estimated arrival time.

Funds do not arrive at all

In rare cases, funds do not arrive by the CHAPS cut-off time (approximately 4pm–4:30pm). This is a breach of contract by the buyer. Your solicitor will contact the buyer's solicitor to establish the reason and agree next steps. Under the standard conditions of sale, the buyer must pay interest on the purchase price for each day of delay. Completion typically happens the following working day. If the buyer cannot complete at all, you may be entitled to rescind the contract and retain their deposit.

Wrong amount received

Occasionally, the amount received does not match the agreed purchase price. This can happen because of a last-minute mortgage retention (where the lender withholds a portion of the advance pending a condition being met) or an administrative error. Your solicitor will not confirm completion until the correct amount is received. If the shortfall is small and there is a reasonable explanation, the solicitors may agree to complete on an undertaking that the balance will be sent the same day.

Property not vacated

If you have not vacated the property by the agreed time, the buyer may refuse to complete or claim compensation for the delay. Make sure you are out before completion is confirmed. If your removal is running late, communicate this to your solicitor and estate agent so they can manage the buyer's expectations.

Items missing or damage discovered

If the buyer discovers that fixtures or fittings you agreed to leave are missing, or that you have caused damage to the property while moving out, they may claim compensation. This is why it is important to check the TA10 form carefully and leave everything that was agreed. Take photographs of the property before you leave as evidence of its condition.

Completion day checklist

Use this checklist to make sure you have covered everything:

Before completion day

• All personal belongings packed and removed
• Property cleaned to a reasonable standard (broom-swept, surfaces wiped)
• All agreed fixtures and fittings left in place (check the TA10)
• Instruction manuals, warranties, and spare keys left for the buyer
• All keys gathered and labelled
• Utility companies notified of your moving date and meter readings taken
• Council tax department notified
• Royal Mail redirection arranged
• Solicitor's direct phone number saved
• Estate agent's phone number saved
• Bank account details confirmed with your solicitor for the proceeds transfer

On completion morning

• Final walk-through of every room, cupboard, and outbuilding
• Meter readings taken and photographed
• Removal van loaded
• Property locked up, alarm set
• Keys delivered to estate agent's office
• Phone charged and ringer on
• Photographs taken of property condition (for your records)

After completion is confirmed

• Confirm with your solicitor that the mortgage redemption payment has been sent
• Confirm that your net proceeds have been sent to your bank account
• Check your bank account by end of day to verify receipt of the proceeds
• Request a copy of your final completion statement from your solicitor
• Keep all completion documents for at least six years (for tax purposes)

How Pine helps you prepare for completion day

The smoother the conveyancing process, the smoother completion day will be. Delays, missing information, and unresolved enquiries earlier in the process can all create last-minute complications that spill over into completion day.

Pine helps you get ahead by completing your TA6 and TA10 property information forms with guided AI support before you even list. By having accurate, thorough documentation ready from the start, you reduce the number of follow-up enquiries, speed up the overall timeline, and minimise the risk of complications on the day that matters most.

Sources

• Bank of England — CHAPS payment system operating hours — bankofengland.co.uk
• The Law Society — Standard Conditions of Sale (6th Edition) — lawsociety.org.uk
• Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) — Client money handling rules — sra.org.uk
• HM Land Registry — Registering a property transfer — gov.uk
• HomeOwners Alliance — Completion day guide — hoa.org.uk
• Citizens Advice — Problems with buying or selling a property — citizensadvice.org.uk

Related guides

• What Happens on Completion Day for Sellers
• How Solicitors Handle Completion Money
• What Happens Between Exchange and Completion
• What Is a Completion Statement?

Frequently asked questions