are keys left with Estate Agents at same time

moneybags_3

Is it usually a requirement that on the day of completion everyone in the house buying and selling chain leaves their keys in at the same time - say about lunch time.

Guest101

moneybags wrote: »

Is it usually a requirement that on the day of completion everyone in the house buying and selling chain leaves their keys in at the same time - say about lunch time.

In theory but how big is the chain?

PasturesNew

No. You take the keys to the EA once you've packed up and left...... aiming for "soonest" as once the transaction has completed you technically no longer own the house you are trying to get a piano out of......

So, hurry up, don't take your time, don't take the p155..... and get the keys to the EA ASAP.

If possible, what I'd probably do (not always practical) is to loiter close to the EA's,. wander down the road window shopping - and drop them off once I'd had a call from my solicitor to say it's actually completed.... in case it doesn't.

crumblepie

The first house I bought the keys weren't handed in until 5pm! Luckily I was working and had arranged for furniture to arrive later in the week.

Even so I was unimpressed with the delay as I wanted to go in and clean before my things arrive.

DRP

Ea already has the keys from doing the viewings ... in my experience.

poppysarah

We got our keys at about five pm.
I wasn't waiting with a van full of stuff though.

In theory it should have been nearer lunch time.

G_M

EA may not be involved at all!

It is up to the seller to provide the keys to the buyer on Completion. That means at the time when the funds are paid, which is usually aimed for around midday, but in a long chain where funds are transferring between many parties, it may be later.

The seller may wait at the property and hand the keys over.
He may leave them with a neighbour.
Under a flower pot.
Or with his solicitor.

Many sellers choose, for convenience, to leave them with the estate agent.

Whatever the arrangement, the keys will not be released till confirmation is received that payment has been made.

jackomdj

G_M wrote: »

Whatever the arrangement, the keys will not usually be released till confirmation is received that payment has been made.

Just changed your post. When we bought our current property we went to the house the night before to put our TV in (sky were coming the next day and the TV was too big for me to move but OH was working), the family we were buying from were emigrating and she had nothing left in the house so was happy to have something to watch. She passed us the keys. The next day she phoned me to let me know it had completed before out solicitor did.

I know this is very unusual but sometimes circumstances make it OK. Their was only one house involved as we were not selling our old house, so no chain to worry about.

ethank

I gave the keys to the Estate Agents, and they told me it was their practice not to issue keys until I called them to say that we had completed and keys could be released.

propertyman

It is something that you arrange with your vendor or purchaser, with the caveat that keys will not be handed over until the vendor's solicitor confirms that the monies have been received.

pinkteapot

EA doesn't have keys for ours as we did viewings ourselves. We're planning to take them to the EA once our removal company has finished emptying the house (assuming completion monies have been received by our solicitor). Aiming for midday ish.

When we bought, our vendor thought they could do the move themselves with a hired van and didn't bother with a removal company. They got our money at 11am and arrived at the EA with the keys at 4.30pm. :mad:

Fortunately we were in rented at the time and not moving in on the day.

This time we're in the middle of a chain. I'm hoping that our seller will be out in good time - it's a retired couple who have a lot of heavy furniture so I assume they'll use a removal company and not attempt to DIY it, so hopefully they won't take all day to move out.

I'm getting removal company quotes on Thursday and I'll be asking each company if they charge extra on the day if they have to work late. Some companies charge by the hour if your move goes past a certain point (eg 6pm). Worth asking just in case of delays in getting the keys to move in (if you're moving in on completion day).

If you're currently renting and are buying I would strongly recommend having at least a couple of days overlap and not moving in on completion day. (1) You avoid the stress if there's a delay with the keys. (2) It's so quick and easy to clean the new house while it's empty. (3) If the carpets aren't new, you can get a carpet cleaner in while the house is empty - you'll be surprised at how dingy the carpets were once you see them clean.