For many people, moving day is one of the most stressful days of their lives. Yet surprisingly few homeowners know exactly what to expect when completion day arrives.

As independent Cotswold estate agents, we spend a great deal of time helping buyers and sellers navigate the process, and one of the biggest causes of unnecessary stress is simply not understanding how completion works.

Completion does not take place when you pick up the keys. Legally, completion takes place when the purchase funds have cleared into the vendor’s solicitor’s account. How quickly this happens depends largely on the length of the chain and how quickly funds are transferred from one solicitor to the next. In a particularly long chain, completion may not take place until well into the afternoon.

An estate agent cannot legally release the keys until they have received confirmation from the vendor’s solicitor that the funds have cleared and completion has taken place. So, if you are waiting for the call from your estate agent, remember that they are often waiting too.

There is another important deadline to consider. Your contract will usually require you to have vacated your existing property by 12 noon or 1pm on the day of completion, depending on the terms agreed by your solicitors. This is why planning your removal carefully is so important.

Crucially, completing on your sale does not guarantee that you will immediately be able to complete on your purchase. If you are relying on the same removal van to move you from one property to the next, a delay further up the chain can create real problems. You are still responsible for vacating your existing property by the agreed time, so do not assume you will be able to unload at your new home straight away. You could find yourself, along with your removal company and all your belongings, waiting for your purchase to complete before you can gain access. We have unfortunately seen chains where completion has taken place as late as 5.30pm, so it is always worth planning for the possibility of a delay and discussing this with your removal company in advance.

If your budget allows, using a professional removal company can make a huge difference. They can often pack your belongings a day or two before the move, minimising disruption and ensuring that everything is ready to load first thing on completion day. Experienced removal teams can then unload efficiently at the other end and, in some cases, even reassemble essential furniture such as beds — allowing you to feel at home from your very first night.

If you are moving yourself, don’t underestimate how much you have accumulated. Make sure you hire a van large enough to accommodate everything. What might look like a cost-saving exercise can quickly become expensive and exhausting if you need to make multiple journeys between properties.

This is particularly important in a chain. If completion takes place but you cannot provide vacant possession of your property by the contractual deadline, you may be in breach of contract. Once completion has taken place and the agreed time for vacating has passed, the incoming owner has a legal right to take possession of their new home.

It is also worth checking the removal company’s own cut-off time for accessing your new property. If completion is delayed and the move runs beyond their agreed window, additional charges may apply and, in exceptional circumstances, the removal company may not be able to complete the move that day.

Our biggest piece of advice? Plan for the unexpected. Allow plenty of time, have everything packed and ready to go, and don’t build your moving day around the assumption that you will have the keys early in the morning.

Moving yourself may initially appear to be the cheaper option, but many people underestimate how long it takes to pack, load and completely clear a home. In a chain, that delay can have a knock-on effect for everyone else — potentially creating significant stress and, in some circumstances, legal or financial consequences.

A little preparation can make a huge difference. Completion day will always carry an element of uncertainty, but understanding what happens, planning realistically and having the right help in place can turn a potentially frantic day into a much smoother start to your new chapter.