Moving Guides
Completion Day: What Time Do You Get the Keys, and When Should the Van Arrive?
What time you get the keys on completion day in England and Wales: the 2pm contract rule, typical key times, move-out deadlines and planning the van.
Published 14 October 2026 · Updated 14 October 2026
There is no fixed time for getting the keys on completion day. In England and Wales the keys are released when the seller’s conveyancer confirms that your money has arrived. That can be mid-morning or late afternoon, depending on how many sales sit in the chain below you.
What the contract does give you is a deadline. Under the Law Society’s Standard Conditions of Sale, the standard terms written into residential sale contracts unless the contract varies them, money that arrives after 2pm is treated as arriving on the next working day. Everything on the day, including your removal van, is planned around getting the money through before then.
This guide sets out what the conditions say, how the money moves, the time ranges that bodies such as HomeOwners Alliance give for each stage, and how to book the van so a slow chain costs you as little as possible. It covers England and Wales only; Scotland uses a different system. Your own conveyancer confirms the times in your contract.
Key takeaways
- Keys are released when the seller’s conveyancer confirms receipt of the purchase money, not at a set time.
- Standard Conditions of Sale, condition 6.1.2: money received after 2pm counts as completing on the next working day.
- HomeOwners Alliance puts chain-free completions at around 11am, and keys anywhere from 10am to 4pm in a chain.
- Sellers usually have to be out by 1pm, or 2pm in a long chain, according to HomeOwners Alliance.
- 29% of moves happen on a Friday. A midweek date leaves working days in hand if the money is late.
- On an hourly booking, waiting for keys is billed time: £75 an hour for a Luton van and two helpers after the first two hours.
What time do you get the keys on completion day?
You get the keys as soon as the seller’s conveyancer has the money and confirms completion, which for most buyers falls between late morning and mid-afternoon. No law or contract term fixes an exact time for key release.
HomeOwners Alliance’s completion day guide says a purchase with no chain will usually complete around 11am, provided the buyer’s conveyancer has all the payments in. In a chain, it says keys can be released as early as 10am and as late as 4pm, depending on how long the chain is.
The estate agent normally holds the keys; GOV.UK’s guide to buying a home says you collect them from the seller or the estate agent. The agent waits for word from the seller’s conveyancer before handing them over, so ringing the agent early does not speed anything up. Your conveyancer is the person to ask.
What happens on completion day?
Completion is the day the money is paid, the seller moves out and the home becomes yours. GOV.UK describes it as your conveyancer transferring the money to the seller, you receiving the documents that transfer ownership, and the seller leaving the property in the state agreed. On the day it runs in this order:
- your conveyancer sends the purchase price, less the deposit paid at exchange, to the seller’s conveyancer;
- the payment travels by CHAPS, a same-day bank transfer;
- the seller’s conveyancer confirms the money has arrived and that completion has taken place;
- the seller’s conveyancer tells whoever holds the keys, usually the estate agent, to release them;
- you collect the keys and the removal crew starts unloading.
The Conveyancing Association’s Conveyancer’s Code for Completion spells out the key step: once completion has taken place, the seller’s conveyancer notifies the key holders and authorises them to release the keys to the buyer immediately. Conveyancers use that code only by agreement, but the order is the same one HomeOwners Alliance describes: money confirmed first, keys second.
What is the legal deadline for completion on the day?
The deadline is 2pm unless your contract says otherwise. Condition 6.1.2 of the Standard Conditions of Sale (fifth edition, 2018 revision) says that if the money due on completion is received after 2.00pm, completion is treated as taking place on the next working day as a result of the buyer’s default. That treatment applies when apportionments and compensation for late completion are worked out.
A working day under the conditions is Monday to Friday, excluding Christmas Day, Good Friday and statutory bank holidays. Money that lands at 2.30pm on a Friday is therefore treated as arriving on Monday.
Condition 1.1.4 says the standard conditions apply except as varied or excluded by the contract, so a different time can be written in. Ask your conveyancer which time your contract uses.
| Condition | What it says |
|---|---|
| 6.1.2 | Money received after 2.00pm is treated as completing on the next working day, as the buyer’s default. |
| 6.1.3 | If a buyer who is ready to complete pays after 2.00pm because the seller has not vacated, the seller is treated as in default instead. |
| 6.7 | The buyer pays by direct transfer of cleared funds from a conveyancer’s account at a clearing bank. |
| 7.2 | The party whose default is greater pays compensation at the contract rate on the purchase price, less any deposit paid where the buyer is paying. |
| 6.8 | After 2.00pm on the completion date, a party who is ready, able and willing to complete can give notice to complete. Both sides then have ten working days. |
| 7.4 and 7.5 | If the notice is not met, the other side can rescind. A buyer in default can lose the deposit; a seller in default must repay it with accrued interest. |
How does the money move, and why do chains complete in order?
The purchase money moves by CHAPS, the Bank of England’s same-day payment system, and each link in a chain has to wait for the link below it. The Bank of England says CHAPS is commonly used by solicitors and conveyancers to complete housing transactions, that each payment settles on the day it is submitted, and that the transfer is irrevocable between the banks involved.
CHAPS is open from 6am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays in England and Wales, and customer payments must be submitted by 5.40pm (Bank of England, checked October 2026). That is the outer limit of the system. HomeOwners Alliance is more cautious: its guide says that if the transfer has not gone through by 3pm, you will have to wait until the next working day.
In a chain, most sellers need the money from their sale before their conveyancer can pay for their purchase. So the buyer at the bottom pays first, that money is received and passed up to the next property, and so on. The higher up the chain you are buying, the later your keys. HomeOwners Alliance’s guide gives the first buyer in a chain a 9am to 11am slot and the fourth a 1pm to 2pm slot.
What does a realistic completion-day timeline look like?
Most of the activity falls between 8am and 2pm, with the afternoon acting as a buffer for slow chains. The table puts the published times in order. They are typical ranges from the sources named, not guarantees, and your conveyancer may give you different times for your chain.
| Stage | Typical time | Source |
|---|---|---|
| CHAPS opens for payments | 6am; banks must be open to receive by 8am | Bank of England |
| Seller’s crew starts loading | From 8am, depending on your booking | Alpha Movers’ opening hours |
| First buyer in a chain gets keys | 9am to 11am | HomeOwners Alliance |
| Chain-free purchase completes | Around 11am | HomeOwners Alliance |
| Second buyer in a chain gets keys | 11am to 12pm | HomeOwners Alliance |
| Third buyer in a chain gets keys | 12pm to 1pm | HomeOwners Alliance |
| Seller out of the property | Usually by 1pm; 2pm in long chains | HomeOwners Alliance |
| Fourth buyer in a chain gets keys | 1pm to 2pm | HomeOwners Alliance |
| Contract deadline for the money | 2pm | Standard Conditions of Sale, condition 6.1.2 |
| Practical cut-off for the transfer | 3pm | HomeOwners Alliance |
| Last customer CHAPS payments | 5.40pm; system closes at 6pm | Bank of England |
| Unloading at the new home | As soon as the keys are released | Your conveyancer’s call |
The seller’s move-out time and the buyer’s key time overlap, so on most completions the van is loaded before anyone knows exactly when the keys will be released. Plan for that gap rather than hoping it will not happen.
What time do you have to move out on completion day?
Plan to be fully out by late morning, and no later than the time in your contract. HomeOwners Alliance says the seller usually has until 1pm to vacate the property, or 2pm in long chains. The Standard Conditions back that with condition 6.1.3: a seller who has not vacated by 2pm, and so holds up payment, is treated as the party in default.
Most homes are sold with vacant possession. HomeOwners Alliance explains that this means the property must be empty of occupants and their belongings by the completion date, apart from items agreed in the contract. That covers the loft, shed and garage as well as the rooms you live in.
The buyer is entitled to the property from the moment completion is confirmed, which can be while your crew is still carrying furniture out. Book the van early enough for loading to finish before the money is likely to arrive, then take every set of keys to the estate agent.
Can you complete and move on the same day?
Yes. Most people who are selling and buying do exactly that, because they have to leave one home and enter the next on the same day. Two related questions come up often.
Do you have to move in on completion day?
No. HomeOwners Alliance confirms you can move in on completion day, but says you do not usually have to pick up the keys that day. If you are buying without selling, it suggests completing on a Thursday and moving in on the Friday. That takes the key time out of the removal booking altogether, because the van arrives at a home you already hold the keys to.
Can you exchange and complete on the same day?
Yes, it is possible. HomeOwners Alliance says it speeds up the process and is much less risky when you and the seller are both chain-free, but notes that some lenders require a minimum period, such as five working days, between the two. The catch for moving is that nothing is legally binding until exchange, so a van booked for that day is booked for a sale that can still fall through that morning. HomeOwners Alliance puts the usual gap at 7 to 28 days; Which? says around two weeks.
What day is best to complete?
A Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday gives you the most room for error. Friday is the most popular day and has the worst fallback: if the money misses the cut-off, the next working day is Monday, and you could have a loaded van and no home for three nights.
HomeOwners Alliance, using reallymoving’s removal quote data for 2011 to 2025, says 29% of movers choose a Friday. Saturday is next at 16%, then Monday at 15% and Tuesday at 10%, with Sunday lowest at 5%. Its 2026 forecast named Friday 28 August as the busiest moving day of the year, with an estimated 22,904 households moving, about four times an average day.
The same guide warns that bank transfer systems can get overloaded, particularly on the last Friday of the month, and suggests asking your solicitor to have the mortgage money arrive from the lender before the day of completion. The Conveyancing Association’s code goes further: the buyer’s conveyancer sends the funds the working day before, so that the buyer is entitled to the keys on or before 2pm. Ask your conveyancer whether either option is open to you.
If the chain insists on a Friday, aim to complete in the morning and avoid the last Friday of the month if you can.
What happens if completion is delayed or fails on the day?
If the money arrives late, the sale normally still completes, but the party at fault pays interest. Under condition 7.2 of the Standard Conditions, the party whose default is greater pays compensation at the contract rate on the purchase price, less the deposit where the buyer is the one paying, for the period of the delay. The contract rate is defined as the Law Society’s interest rate in force at the time.
If completion does not happen at all that day, either side who is ready, able and willing to complete can give a notice to complete at any time after 2pm (condition 6.8). Both parties then have ten working days, not counting the day the notice is given, and time becomes of the essence. A buyer who paid a deposit of less than 10% must top it up to 10% straight away.
When that period runs out, condition 7.4 lets the seller rescind, keep the deposit, resell and claim damages. If the seller is the one who fails, condition 7.5 lets the buyer rescind and have the deposit repaid with accrued interest.
Extra removal costs caused by someone else’s default, such as waiting time, storage or a second day’s hire, are worth raising with your conveyancer. Keep every invoice. Whether you can recover them depends on your contract and the facts.
What can go wrong, and what does it mean for the removal?
Most completion-day problems are delays of a few hours rather than failures. Each one affects the removal differently.
| What goes wrong | What it means for the removal | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Money held up lower in the chain | The van is loaded but the keys are not released, so the crew waits. | Ask your conveyancer for a realistic time and pass it to the crew. |
| Money arrives after 2pm | The sale can still complete that afternoon, so unloading runs into the evening. The buyer may owe interest under condition 7.2. | Check your mover can work late and ask your conveyancer about any interest. |
| Money misses the banks’ cut-off | No keys until the next working day. After a Friday, that is Monday. | Arrange overnight storage for the load and somewhere to stay. Keep receipts. |
| Seller has not finished moving out | There is nowhere to unload, even if the money is ready. | Tell your conveyancer at once. Under condition 6.1.3 a seller not out by 2pm can be the party in default. |
| Your own buyer’s money is late | Your sale cannot complete, so your purchase is not funded and your keys are late too. | Stay loaded and ready. Leave your keys with the estate agent, who releases them once completion is confirmed. |
| Completion date moves before the day | The removal booking has to move with it. | Tell the mover straight away. Alpha Movers allows a free change or cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time. |
How does completion work on a new build?
On a new build bought before it is finished, you do not get a fixed completion date at exchange. HomeOwners Alliance’s new-build conveyancing guide explains that you agree to completion on notice instead: once the home is finished, the developer serves notice on the buyer to complete, usually within 10 working days.
That short notice is the planning problem. Mortgage offers usually last only up to six months, so the guide advises having a long-stop completion date in the contract. For the van, get a quote early, tell the mover the date depends on the developer’s notice, and confirm the booking the day the notice arrives. Our guide on how far in advance to book a removal company covers lead times.
Renting instead: when do tenants get the keys?
Tenants normally get the keys at check-in on the day the tenancy starts, at a time agreed with the landlord or letting agent. There is no chain and no 2pm rule, so a rental move is far easier to time: ask for a morning check-in and book the van to arrive after it.
Shelter’s advice is to check the inventory carefully before you sign it, take photos of any cracks, marks or scratches even if they are listed, and keep a copy. Allow time for that before the crew starts filling the rooms.
How do you plan the removal van around completion day?
Book the crew to load at your old address first thing, so the home is empty well before the seller’s deadline, and expect a wait before unloading. That wait is the part people forget to budget for.
On an hourly booking, waiting is working time. On Alpha Movers’ rate card a Luton van with two helpers is £150 for the first two hours and £75 an hour after that, billed in 30-minute steps, so an hour spent waiting for the key call costs £75. With a small van and one helper the same hour is £65. The full rates are on our pricing page.
To keep the wait short and the plan clear, tell your mover in advance:
- the completion date, and whether it is a Friday;
- how many sales are in the chain and where yours sits;
- the time your contract needs the money by, and the time you must be out;
- which estate agent holds the keys, and when their office closes;
- whether you are buying a new build on notice;
- parking and access at both addresses;
- what should happen to the load if the keys do not come that day.
If the keys come late in the day, the crew can still unload as long as your mover works evenings. Alpha Movers is open until 10pm and does not charge extra for evening slots. If the keys do not come at all, the load has to go somewhere overnight, so ask about secure storage before the day rather than at 4pm on it.
HomeOwners Alliance also advises keeping medication, chargers, documents and valuables with you. Our London house removal checklist covers the packing side.
Moving on completion day with Alpha Movers
Alpha Movers carries out house removals across London from our base in Ilford, from 8am to 10pm, seven days a week. We do not charge a weekend premium or extra for evening slots. There is no deposit, and payment is by bank transfer after the job is finished. £10,000 goods in transit insurance is included. If your completion date moves, you can change or cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before the start time.
Tell us your completion date, both postcodes and where you sit in the chain, and we will plan the start time around it. Call 07448 849354, email info@alphamovers.co.uk or book online.
Frequently asked questions
There is no fixed time. The keys are released when the seller’s conveyancer confirms the purchase money has arrived. HomeOwners Alliance says a chain-free purchase usually completes around 11am, and that in a chain keys can come as early as 10am or as late as 4pm depending on its length. Under the Standard Conditions of Sale the money is due by 2pm. Your conveyancer can give you a realistic time for your own chain.
HomeOwners Alliance says sellers usually have until 1pm to vacate, or 2pm in long chains. Your contract sets the actual time. Under condition 6.1.3 of the Standard Conditions of Sale, a seller who has not vacated by 2pm, and so delays payment, is treated as the party in default. Aim to have the van loaded and the keys with the estate agent by late morning, and confirm the exact time with your conveyancer.
Yes. Most people who are buying and selling do, because they must leave one home and enter the next that day. You do not have to, though. HomeOwners Alliance notes you need not collect the keys on completion day, and suggests that buyers who are not selling complete on a Thursday and move in on the Friday. That removes the wait for keys from the removal booking, which saves waiting time on an hourly rate.
Under condition 6.1.2 of the Standard Conditions of Sale, money received after 2pm is treated as completing on the next working day when compensation is worked out. The sale can still go through that afternoon and you can still get the keys, but the buyer may owe interest at the contract rate under condition 7.2. On a Friday the next working day is Monday. Your conveyancer will tell you whether your contract uses a different time.
Because it leaves the weekend for unpacking. HomeOwners Alliance, using reallymoving removal quote data from 2011 to 2025, says 29% of movers choose a Friday. The drawback is the fallback: if the money is late, the next working day is Monday, and you may be without a home for the weekend. The same guide warns that bank transfers can get overloaded on the last Friday of the month. A midweek date leaves working days in hand.
Not normally. The purchase money moves by CHAPS, which the Bank of England says is open from 6am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays in England and Wales. The Standard Conditions of Sale also define a working day as Monday to Friday. HomeOwners Alliance says completion traditionally has to be on a working weekday. You can still move at the weekend if you complete on a weekday and collect the keys then.
It is a formal notice one party serves when completion has not happened on the agreed date. Under condition 6.8 of the Standard Conditions of Sale it can be given at any time after 2pm on the completion date by a party who is ready, able and willing to complete. Both sides then have ten working days, excluding the day the notice is given. If the buyer still fails to complete, the seller can rescind and keep the deposit.
On an hourly booking, yes, because the crew and van are still on the job. With Alpha Movers a Luton van and two helpers costs £150 for the first two hours and then £75 an hour, billed in 30-minute steps, so an hour of waiting is £75. Loading early, telling the mover where you sit in the chain and asking your conveyancer to send the funds as early as possible all keep the wait down.
Not much. HomeOwners Alliance’s new-build conveyancing guide says buyers who exchange before the home is finished agree to completion on notice: when the home is ready, the developer serves notice on the buyer to complete, usually within 10 working days. Get a removal quote early, tell the mover the date depends on the developer’s notice, and confirm the booking as soon as the notice arrives. Your conveyancer will confirm the notice period in your contract.
