Exchanging keys on completion - online agent

Burnsie1983

Hello.
I am (hopefully) coming to the end of my house sale using an online estate agent (that I didn't pay to do viewings or anything).

Anybody any ideas how the key exchange works when our solicitors give us the thumbs up? I assumed that it'd still need to be done through a third party ie not just me giving the keys to the new owner?

davidmcn

Burnsie1983 said:

 I assumed that it'd still need to be done through a third party ie not just me giving the keys to the new owner?

Why? All that matters is the buyer gets the keys. Doesn't matter whether it's you, an agent, or somebody else who hands them over, as long as everyone knows what's happening. 

pinkteapot

You can give them straight to the buyer. Almost every purchase and sale I've been involved in this is what's happened - saves people the bother of traipsing into town to go to the agent's office!

eddddy

It's probably worth checking by phone with your solicitor that completion has actually happened, before handing over the keys to the buyer.

I guess there might be a problem if you're moving a long way away. You and the removal van might be setting off early in the morning, so you might not be there to hand over the keys after completion. In that case, maybe you could ask a friend or neighbour to do it - after you've phoned them to give the go-ahead.

Racky_Roo

Personally I'd try and get a friend or member of the family to hand them over. This is because the buyer will be given the phone number of the person handing over the keys and in my situation, I got text multiple times over the next year telling me things had broken and demanding to know if I was aware of issues. First was the 8 year old Fridge/Freezer 6 months after I moved out, then the 25 year old boiler another couple of months later! 

greatcrested

Providing you get the keys to the buyer and tell them in advance where they are, you can doit how you like. In person. Next door neighbour; solicitor; agent; leave it under the 3rd stone from the left by back door........

Kyresa

Buy one of those key boxes with combination lock, fix it to the house in a convenient but relatively secluded place, put the key in there, upon completion, let them have the code.   Job done.. no phone numbers or meet in person needed and if the buyers chose, they never have to use the key box again.  

ThePants999

Racky_Roo said:

Personally I'd try and get a friend or member of the family to hand them over. This is because the buyer will be given the phone number of the person handing over the keys and in my situation, I got text multiple times over the next year telling me things had broken and demanding to know if I was aware of issues. First was the 8 year old Fridge/Freezer 6 months after I moved out, then the 25 year old boiler another couple of months later! 

Well, it's a gamble. Maybe you end up with a buyer like that. Or maybe you end up with a buyer like me, who's used the fact that he had the seller's contact details to ensure some important mail found its way onwards after the redirection ended. You never know