Completing tomorrow?

helpMe_2-2

We're completing tomorrow (hopefully, cross fingers and toes). Can anyone give us some good advice? We're FTB's and still haven't finished packing yet!

Anyone else completing tomorrow? or this week?

maninthestreet

You are not required to move in to the property on the day of completion, only the current occupiers (the vendors?) are required to move out on the day of completion. However, best to move into property ASAP, as an empty property can attract the attention of the wrong sort of people.

helpMe_2-2

Someone is moving into ours...so we have to move out! :-)

maninthestreet

helpMe wrote:

Someone is moving into ours...so we have to move out! :-)

Get packing, now!

mrsc_4

We are completing tomorrow as well!!!

Can't wait we're all packed and ready to go, just the last bits to pack in the morning and the final clean to do!!!

Good Luck Helpme exciting isn't it

pusscat

Only advice is don't stress too much!!!

Try to vacate your property by about 11am-midday (unless you have made other arrangements with the new owners) and don't worry if you have not got your keys for your new house straight away - for some bizzare reason solicitors go to lunch and nothing happens for an hour - the money is often not acknowledged until 2pm or even later.

It is not unusual to be sitting in the removals van outside your new house, waiting for the keys....don't stress too much, stay polite and just keep calling, I have never yet known anyone who has not got the keys on completion day (although it has been pretty close :-)

Make alternative arrangements for pets/children/elderly relatives, they only get in the way during a stressful time, best to send them to a friends, or put them in kennels (the pets, not the kids :-)

Keep everything you need, including all paperwork, solicitors numbers, buyers and sellers numbers, eastate agents numbers, your mobile, paper and pen, bank details, in a seperate bag in the car so you have it close at hand. Also, if you have room a copy of yellow pages incase you need to call anyone out to solve a problem

Take some snacks, bottle of water and something to keep you amused (books, games for kids etc) and the time will pass much faster while you wait.

It is a nice touch (especially if you believe in karma!) to leave a housewarming card, bunch of flowers and some milk, sugar, instant coffee, biscuits and plastic cups in the kitchen, means that your buyers will feel at home straight away and don't have to look for everything.
I also usually leave a bottle of champagne in the fridge (especially if the purchase has gone smoothly) and toilet rolls in the bathroom. (I guess that you are renting, so this may not apply, but it is still nice to leave loo roll etc....)

Try to leave all the keys and other things in a single place, lable them and also take a note of all your meter readings (photographing them is a good idea). It is also nice touch to leave instruction manuals out (so your new owners can turn off/on the heating) and to write down any quirks of your house (such as where the trip switches are if they trip often, or how to reset the boiler if it needs doing more than once a month!) (again, may not apply if you are renting)

Try to pack all the things you will need straight away (toothbrushes, PJ's, shampoo, kettle, cups, coffee, juice, biscuits, pet food)in a single bag or box, and take it in your car, that way you are not looking for all the essentials if things do get very late.

Buy a roll of heavy duty plastic sheeting, if it is raining then you will get muddy footprints all over the carpets as removals men and everyone else traipse in and out. If you use a really expensive removals company then they will already do this, if you are using a man and van (or friends and family) then they may not.
Remember to pack your coat/umbrella in the car - it is miserable supervising removals men in the rain without them.

Look to change all of the locks within a few days of moving in - unless it is a new build. Would you trust all of the previous owners, their friends and family, tradesmen, tennants etc to have keys to your house? No!

Lable your boxes by room - that way the removals guys can put them in the right room and you are halfway there. If you are moving to a big place then put post it notes on the doors of the rooms withthe names (Utility, Study, dining, living etc) that way the removals men don't have to keep asking. Put stickers on the furniture for which room you want it placed in, saves standing in the doorway shouting at removals men.

If you have a lot of stuff then pack 2 boxes for eeach room, one of important stuff, the other of unimportant stuff. That way you can just unpack half the boxes and have 90% of the stuff you need. Make sure you lable them.

Buy some industrial tissue paper sheets from a commerical packers (big yellow storage or someone). Layer these between bowls, plates, glasses etc. makes for less damage. Alternativly, use newspaper if you have some.

Make sure you have a knife/scissors to open boxes and have a supply of bin bags to put all the wrapping straight into (don't forget to recycle it). Buy a cheap stanley knife and tie it to somewhere like the kitchen door, you will always loose the knife and scissors!

Keep you camera handy to take any pictuires of any removals damage - squashed boxes or scratched items. It is also handy if you are unlucky and your new house has not been left the way you expected.

If you can buy some cold beers they will be welcomed by the guys who are humping your boxes - or if they are a removals firm then some nice biscuits and coffe as they probably can't drink on duty.

Think that is all for now - remember that this is always a stressful day, the better prepared you are the less stressful it is, but it is ALWAYS stressful :-)

Make sure you have a bottle of something nice to have a glass when you get to 10pm!

Sorry about the spelling, I am writing this whilst listening to a teleconference so I only have 50% attention on it.

Best of luck with the move

Puss

helpMe_2-2

Thanks Puss that was excellent advice! Its a good day to move tomorrow (im hoping) as the kids will be at school and my mum will pick them up. I'm going to print out your advice right now....

Debt_Free_Chick

Get off the internet and get yourself sorted

Seriously .... completing tomorrow and wondering what we're doing ..... :rolleyes:

Of course, you don't need to move in tomorrow, but your mortgage interest will kick in and you'll be paying to live in a property that you don't occupy.

Pack up that PC now and get yer finger out

missbee

Great advice Pusscat - esp. the loo roll and welcome card idea!! I know I'd appreciate that in my new house.

I am completing on Thursday. I seem to have been packing for an etenrnity and yet I still have loads and loads to do!!

I hope it all goes well for you Helpme. I am also dreading the whole completion thing: what if the removals don't turn up/turn up late and then my buyer turns up?!, what if the vendors of new house are still packing for hours when I arrive?, what if, in the recent storms, my new house has no roof? What if there is no house, but a just a crumpled heap (complete with Wizard of Oz style witch's shoes poking out from underneath?!.......

Then i become a bit more rational and think, 'what will be will be!':rotfl:

gazza975526570

Good luck and some great advice from Pusscat.

Im due to exchange and complete on the same day this friday. Ringing sols daily but really dont know how you go about things on the actual day?!

We have no idea of a time so how do we know what time to book the removals for?!?

Im sure it will work out ok!!!