Completion day is the day a property sale legally finalises. The buyer’s funds are transferred to the seller, ownership of the property passes across, and the keys are handed over. For most people it is also the day the move physically happens, which is what makes it the single most important date to plan house removals around.
What actually happens on completion day:
- The buyer’s solicitor or conveyancer sends the purchase money to the seller’s solicitor.
- Once the seller’s side confirms the funds have arrived, the sale is complete.
- The estate agent releases the keys to the buyer, often around midday.
- The seller must be fully moved out by the time completion is confirmed.
The timing creates a tight window. The seller usually has to be out by lunchtime, and the buyer often cannot get keys until early afternoon. According to GOV.UK guidance on selling a home, completion frequently happens at lunchtime, and money transfers can be delayed when several households in a chain all complete on the same day.
Practical implications for booking a move:
- Be packed and ready the day before. A packing service the day before completion takes the pressure off.
- Book the van for completion day itself, but expect the new-property keys to be available from the afternoon rather than first thing.
- Long chains carry more risk of delay. Where possible, build some slack into the afternoon.
Completion day is distinct from exchange of contracts, which happens earlier and is the point at which the sale becomes legally binding. Completion is when it actually concludes.