What happens after you accept an offer on your house?

The first 48 hours after accepting

The first two days after accepting an offer are critical. This is when momentum is highest and when many administrative details are set in motion.

What you need to do: Instruct a solicitor if you have not already. Provide them with the memorandum of sale (a summary document prepared by your agent that confirms the offer, agreed price, and key terms). Give your solicitor permission to communicate with the buyer's solicitor.

What the buyer does: Arranges a full survey if they have not already (a structural inspection by a qualified surveyor). Applies for a mortgage offer or confirms that mortgage finance is ready. Instructs their own solicitor.

The significance: A buyer who moves quickly to book a surveyor and apply for a mortgage is serious. A buyer who goes silent or delays these steps is a warning sign—they may lose interest or have financing concerns.

The legal process: what your solicitor does

Once your solicitor is instructed, they manage the legal side of the transaction. This typically involves:

• Week 1–2: Initial enquiries. Your solicitor sends the buyer's solicitor a pack of enquiries (questions about the property, boundaries, services, disputes, etc.). You will need to complete a Property Information Form and a Seller's Property Information Form—these ask detailed questions about the property's condition, any problems, and what is included in the sale.
• Week 2–3: Searches. Your solicitor orders Local Authority searches (planning history, building control records) and Water Authority searches. These take 2–3 weeks and are essential for the buyer's lender. You do not do anything here—your solicitor handles it.
• Week 3–4: Title and deed review. Your solicitor reviews your property deeds to confirm you own the property outright and there are no issues with the title (e.g., nobody else has a legal claim to it).
• Week 4–6: Contract preparation. Your solicitor drafts the contract of sale and sends it to the buyer's solicitor. The buyer's solicitor may suggest changes (additional conditions, exclusions, etc.). Your solicitor will advise you on any changes.
• Week 6–10: Coordination with mortgage lender. The buyer's mortgage lender reviews the property, the survey, and the searches. They may ask for additional information or repairs before releasing funds. Any lender delays here can slow the whole process.

The key point: your solicitor is managing dozens of documents and coordinating between multiple parties. A disorganized solicitor can add weeks to the timeline. Make sure your solicitor is responsive and keeps you updated.

The survey: what buyers look for and what it means for you

The buyer's surveyor conducts a structural inspection of your property. This is one of the most common friction points in a sale.

What surveyors typically look for: Structural integrity (cracks, settlement, subsidence), roof condition, damp (a major issue in older properties), electrics and plumbing (whether they are safe and modern), central heating condition, and general maintenance. A surveyor's job is to flag risks to the lender and the buyer.

What happens if problems are found:

• Minor issues (decorative, cosmetic): buyer may accept and proceed.
• Moderate issues (repairs needed soon): buyer often renegotiates the price downward to offset repair costs.
• Major issues (structural, damp, subsidence): buyer may demand expensive repairs, a significant price reduction, or may pull out entirely.

Your position: You cannot force a buyer to proceed if the survey reveals problems. If the buyer renegotiates after the survey, you must decide whether to accept the lower price or relist the property and find a new buyer. Most sales that fall through do so because of survey issues.

Exchange of contracts: when the sale becomes legally binding

Exchange of contracts is the moment the sale becomes legally binding. Both solicitors confirm they have resolved all enquiries, searches have been received, the survey has been reviewed, and the buyer's mortgage lender has approved. Both parties sign and physically exchange identical copies of the contract.

What happens at exchange:

• Contracts are signed by you and the buyer (usually done by solicitors on your behalf).
• A completion date is set—typically 2–4 weeks away.
• The buyer pays a deposit (usually 5–10% of the purchase price) to a stakeholder solicitor.
• Both parties are now legally committed. If you pull out, the buyer keeps your deposit and can sue for specific performance. If the buyer pulls out, you keep the deposit.

What you cannot do after exchange: Negotiate the price, change the agreed completion date (without consent), or remove items you promised to include in the sale. The deal is done.

Why this matters: If a sale is going to fall through, it usually happens before exchange. Once contracts are exchanged, the risk to the buyer of losing their deposit incentivizes them to push through to completion.

Completion day: what to expect

Completion is the final day. The buyer receives the keys and you receive the sale proceeds.

The sequence:

1. Early morning: your solicitor confirms all completion documents are ready (final statement of account, deeds, etc.).
2. Mid-morning: the buyer's lender releases funds to the buyer's solicitor.
3. The buyer's solicitor transfers the purchase price to your solicitor.
4. Your solicitor receives the funds and transfers the property deeds and keys to the buyer's solicitor.
5. You hand over the keys and any documents agreed in the contract.
6. The buyer enters the property.

Your position on completion day: You should have received the money by early afternoon. Your solicitor will confirm when funds have cleared. You are no longer the legal owner of the property once the money transfers. Many sellers time their moving day around completion—either moving out the day before or the morning of completion.

Common delays on completion day: Buyer's mortgage lender delays releasing funds (rare but happens), buyer's solicitor struggles to coordinate funds, or essential documents are missing. These are typically minor hiccups resolved within hours, but it is why you should not make hard commitments (like moving into a new property) until you have confirmed completion is actually happening.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• How long does it take to sell a house in the UK?
• What is gazumping — and how do you protect yourself?
• How to negotiate estate agent fees in the UK

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