Moving House Timeline: Exchange and Completion Dates
Enter your offer-accepted date, chain length, property type, and mortgage stage. We'll estimate your completion date with milestones for every stage of the purchase.
Your move
About 13 weeks from offer accepted. Add a 20-30% buffer for real-world delays — lender queries, slow councils, and chain issues often push completion back.
- 1Mortgage application submittedMon, 7 Sept 2026
Full application triggered after offer accepted
- 2Valuation completedMon, 21 Sept 2026
Lender instructs valuation within 2-3 weeks
- 3Mortgage offer issuedFri, 2 Oct 2026
Typically 3-6 weeks post application
- 4Searches orderedFri, 11 Sept 2026
Conveyancer instructs immediately after offer accepted
- 5Searches returnedFri, 9 Oct 2026
Local authority speed is the biggest variable
- 6Enquiries resolved, ready to exchangeFri, 13 Nov 2026
Chain length is the biggest driver here
- 7Exchange of contractsFri, 20 Nov 2026
Legally committed. Deposit (typically 10%) paid. Completion date set.
- 8Completion dayFri, 4 Dec 2026
Typically 1-2 weeks after exchange. Keys collected.
Based on typical UK buying process timings in April 2026. Faster if everyone is responsive and the local authority search is quick. Slower with complex properties or unresponsive parties.
How the Estimate Works
The tool starts with a baseline UK buying timeline (typically 11 weeks for a chain-free freehold purchase) and adjusts based on the factors that most commonly slow things down:
- Chain length — adds 2–8 weeks depending on how many linked sales there are
- Property type — leasehold flats add ~2 weeks for management pack review, new builds add ~1 week for developer paperwork, probate adds ~1.5 weeks
- Mortgage status — a formal offer shaves ~1 week; going direct to a lender typically adds ~2 weeks vs broker-led
These are typical figures. Real-world timelines vary with council search speeds, solicitor workload, surveyor availability, and responsiveness of every party in the chain. Use this as a baseline, then add a 20–30% buffer for the real world.
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