What Happens After an Offer Is Accepted on a House

Once your offer on a house is accepted, the home buying process moves into a legal and administrative phase known as conveyancing. This is where solicitors, surveyors, lenders and estate agents all play a part in progressing the sale from offer to completion. Although it may feel like a major milestone has been reached, there are still several steps to navigate before you get the keys.

Understanding what happens after your offer is accepted helps you stay in control of the timeline and manage expectations. It also ensures that you know when to act, what to chase and how to avoid unnecessary delays.

Instruction of Solicitors and Mortgage Finalisation

After your offer is accepted, you need to formally instruct a solicitor or conveyancer to handle the legal side of the transaction. The estate agent will ask for your solicitor’s details and issue a memorandum of sale to all parties. This document outlines the agreed price, the buyer and seller details, and the property address.

At the same time, if you have a mortgage in principle, you should now proceed with a full mortgage application. Your lender will arrange a valuation of the property to ensure it aligns with the loan amount. Once satisfied, they will issue a formal mortgage offer, which is required before you can exchange contracts.

Legal Searches and Enquiries

Your solicitor will begin the process of carrying out searches. These include local authority searches, drainage and water searches, environmental searches and more. The purpose of these is to identify any issues that might affect the property or your ability to use it as planned. For example, they may reveal flood risks, planning constraints, or road schemes nearby.

Alongside this, your solicitor will review the draft contract prepared by the seller’s solicitor and raise any enquiries. These questions may relate to boundaries, rights of way, shared access, service charges or historic alterations. The seller is expected to respond to these before any contracts are signed.

Survey and Property Checks

While the lender will arrange a valuation, it is also advisable to commission your own property survey. The type of survey depends on the age and condition of the house. A HomeBuyer Report or Building Survey can reveal issues like structural movement, damp, roof damage or outdated electrics.

The findings of the survey may influence your decision to proceed, renegotiate the price, or request remedial works before exchange. It is also your opportunity to assess whether the property is a sound investment.

Exchange of Contracts

Once your mortgage is in place, the searches are complete and both parties are satisfied with the contract terms, you can move toward exchange. This is when both solicitors agree on a completion date and you transfer your deposit, usually ten percent of the purchase price.

Exchange of contracts is legally binding. From this point, neither party can back out without financial penalties. Your solicitor will ensure all legal documents are in order and arrange for buildings insurance to be in place from the day of exchange.

Completion and Moving Day

Completion is the final stage where ownership officially changes hands. On the agreed date, the remaining funds are transferred from your solicitor to the seller’s solicitor, and the estate agent releases the keys to you. You can now move into the property.

Your solicitor will then register the transfer of ownership with HM Land Registry and send you a copy of the title. They will also notify your lender, if applicable, and pay any outstanding Stamp Duty Land Tax on your behalf.

Typical Timeline and Delays

From offer acceptance to completion, the process typically takes between eight to sixteen weeks, although it can be quicker in a straightforward chain-free sale. Delays can occur due to slow responses from solicitors, missing paperwork, complex property issues or difficulties securing a mortgage.

Being proactive, maintaining regular communication with your solicitor and estate agent, and responding promptly to queries will help to move things along efficiently.

Conclusion

Having your offer accepted on a house is an exciting moment, but it marks the beginning of a detailed legal and financial process. You will need to instruct a solicitor, apply for your mortgage, arrange surveys, complete searches and review contracts. Once everything is agreed and in place, contracts are exchanged and the sale becomes legally binding. Completion follows soon after, when you become the legal owner and can collect the keys. Staying organised and informed throughout will make the experience smoother and more successful.