Buying or selling your home

A typical house sale can take around 6-8 weeks, but every sale is different. To start the conveyancing process for a sale you'll need to get your identity checked and there’ll be a few things conveyancers need from you:

• The buyer's details.
• A list of fixtures and fittings you’re planning to leave as part of the sale (like light fittings and heating appliances).
• Some information about the property (e.g. mortgages and guarantees).
• They'll then gather information about the title of the property and any land surrounding it. Here are the next steps taken when selling your home:
• Prepare the contract - The information you've provided will be sent with a copy of the contract to the buyer’s solicitor. You and the buyer will both need to sign a copy of the contract.
• Agree an exchange date - The exchange of signed contracts will be agreed between your conveyancer and the buyer’s solicitor. The sale of your property won’t be legally binding until the exchange has taken place.
• Complete - The sale of the property becomes final when the payment to the conveyancing company has been received in full from the buyer’s solicitor. This is known as completion. If there’s a mortgage, your conveyancer can arrange the repayment when the sale’s gone through.

In most cases, you’ll be able to take most of your furniture with you. If you’re a new buyer or renter, or moving into an unfurnished property, you may have a lot to buy. It’s a good idea to make a list for each room in the house and note down what you need, to avoid overspending. This is also a good time to look into your contents insurance and buildings insurance plans to make sure you’re covered.

Don’t feel like you need to get everything as soon as you move in, sometimes it’s good to feel the space and collect items over time. Consider these few essentials when moving house:

• Bed: You’ll need somewhere to sleep.
• Sofa (or bean bags!): To relax after a day of unpacking.
• Kettle: For that first cup of tea or coffee.
• Kitchen essentials: The essentials to cook, eat and drink with.
• Curtains: You’ll want a decent night's sleep from day one.
• Toolkit: Useful for building furniture or any repairs - hammers, screwdrivers, nails etc.
• Cleaning supplies: While some properties come fully cleaned, it’s always best to have supplies on hand.
• Electrics: Make sure you’ve got the batteries, extension leads and chargers.
• Toilet paper: There’s nothing worse than forgetting this.

There are a few different organisations you’ll need to notify when your address is changing:

• Banks and building societies.
• Gas, electric, and water providers.
• Wi-Fi and broadband companies.
• Insurance providers (house, car, health, etc).
• The DVLA.
• The local council.
• Your employer.
• Your doctor.
• Update the electoral roll.

For service providers, you won’t need to cancel your current plans. Simply let them know two to three weeks before you're due to move and tell them a date you want to be connected by. The same goes for banks and other organisations, as they will need to update your address.

If you’ve got children, make sure you get in touch with their school as soon as possible in case you fall out of the school zone and need to look for a new one.

This is also a good time to take a look at your home insurance or renters insurance policies. If you’re a new buyer or renter, you’ll need to make this a priority before moving into your new home. If you’re renting, you’ll need to discuss with your landlord what you’re liable for in terms of damages and repairs. Check the inventory from when you first moved in -if there are any damages not already listed, these will need to be fixed before the move out date to guarantee you get your full deposit back.

We’ve made it easy for you to update your home insurance policy if you’re moving house.

There are a few final things you need to tick off of your checklist before making the final move:

• Clear out perishable food: Eat, give away, or throw away as much as you can.
• Fully defrost your fridge and freezer: This will help prevent any water spillage.
• Set aside a few days’ worth of clothing: You don’t want to be rummaging through your perfectly packed boxes in search of an outfit.
• Clean your house before you leave: The estate agent and new tenants will be very grateful for this added touch.

Buying and selling your home can be daunting but it doesn’t have to be. Keep yourself covered and stress free by following our guide.