You’ve accepted an offer on your home. Now it’s about turning that offer into a completed sale!
This guide shows you what will happen at each stage, and who will be responsible for what.
Getting started
What you need to do
- Instruct a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to act for you
- Send your solicitor's contact details to Ostrich, so we can issue the Memorandum of Sale
- If your property is leasehold, send funds to your solicitor so they can request a management pack
What your solicitor does
- Drafts the sale contract, including the agreed price, property boundaries, what’s included in the sale and the proposed completion date
- Shares the draft contract and supporting documents with your buyer’s solicitor
What your buyer does
- Checks their solicitor is on their lender’s approved panel (if they’re using a mortgage)
- Sends funds to their solicitor to order local authority searches
- Starts their mortgage application and provides documents like proof of income and bank statements
Tip: Solicitor recommendations from friends or family are often a good place to start. We can also offer recommendations so let us know if that would be helpful.
During the sale
What you need to do
- Allow access for surveys, mortgage valuations or additional viewings
- Complete any forms your solicitor sends you
- Respond to any questions raised by your buyer’s solicitor
What your solicitor does
- Responds to legal enquiries from the buyer’s side
- Provides documents or clarification about things like lease terms, boundary details or previous works
- Keeps the process moving behind the scenes
What your buyer does
- Arranges a property survey (not required, but strongly recommended)
- Reviews the contract with their solicitor
- Highlights any questions or concerns, the buyer's solicitor will raise these enquiries with your solicitor
Getting ready to exchange
What you need to do
- Review and sign the final version of the contract
- Sign the TR1 form, which transfers ownership to your buyer
- Return both documents to your solicitor in good time
What your solicitor does
- Sends you the final contract and TR1 for signing
- Confirms the final contract and agrees a completion date with your buyer’s solicitor
- Calls you to confirm you’re ready to go ahead and give authority to exchange!
- Exchanges contracts and requests funds from your lender
What your buyer does
- Receives a Report on Title from their solicitor
- Signs their copy of the contract and TR1
- Transfers their deposit (usually ten percent of the price) to their solicitor
Lets their solicitor know they ready and happy to exchange
Tip: This is a good time to book removals, if you haven’t already!
On completion day
What you need to do
- Move out by the agreed time
- Leave the property in the condition agreed in the contract
What your solicitor does
- Receives the remaining funds from your buyer’s solicitor
- Pays off your mortgage (if you have one) and settles any outstanding fees or taxes
- Transfers the remaining balance to your account
What your buyer does
- Sends the remaining balance to their solicitor before this completion date
- Becomes the legal owner once funds are received
What happens next...
- Ostrich will arrange key handover as soon as we receive confirmation from your solicitor that completion has happened
Still have questions?
You’re not expected to know this process inside out. That’s what we’re here for! If anything feels unclear, just ask. We’ll keep you moving.