Selling Your Home: On Moving Day And Beyond
You’ve done the hard bit, you’ve sold your home and found somewhere to move to, but what’s next? Your solicitor will handle the transfers of funds for you, and you will cease to be the owner of the property once this happens on the closing date. This means that you must vacate the property and remove all contents that are not part of the sale by the time the keys are handed over to the new owner.
If your property sale is due to complete, you will have booked a removal firm for the completion date, or made arrangements to move the contents yourself. You should be aware that anything left behind, that is not included in the sale particulars, may be removed by the new owners at your cost.
What Happens On The Closing Date?
- Pack up. You will likely have spent several weeks preparing for moving day, and on the day itself, you will simply need to clear all boxes and furniture from the property. If you are moving to a new home, and have a removal van booked, this will usually be the easiest way to move your contents from the old house to the new. If you are moving a long distance, this may be an overnight process.
- Clean the property. You are responsible for cleaning the house that you are selling. Many cleaning firms offer one off services to ensure that the property is in great condition when the new owners arrive, and if you are short of time this may be a good option to consider. If you are cleaning the property yourself, you may wish to ask friends or family to help you as you may find that you run out of time on the day.
- Leave on time. When the keys are handed to the new owner, it is no longer your property. You must vacate the property on time, or risk legal proceedings as you are now, by law, trespassing at the property. Prior preparation is vital to ensure that everything goes to plan on moving day, so don’t leave it until the last minute!
- Exchange of funds. Before handing over the keys, your solicitor will ensure that the agreed sale price is transferred from the new owner. These funds will be used to pay off any outstanding loans on the property, and the balance will be transferred to you. If you are buying another property, and your solicitor is also handling your purchase, the funds will usually be transferred directly to the vendor you are purchasing your new home from.
- Final paperwork. Immediately after your sale is completed, your solicitor will ensure that all paperwork is finalised and sent to you. The land registry will be informed, and you will receive confirmation that you are no longer the legal owner of the property you have sold. Congratulations on completing your sale!