Five ways to help legal completion go to plan

After weeks of anticipation, completion day is on the horizon and soon you’ll be in your new home. Everyone involved will want legal completion to go as smoothly as possible so you can focus on settling in. It’s a complex process but there are things you can do to minimise the risk of unexpected hold-ups: 

1. Keep in regular contact with your builder, solicitor and other advisers: Your builder should keep you informed about expected completion dates. These can change due to circumstances that may be beyond the builder’s control, but delays should not be excessive or unreasonable. Your contract should include a ‘long stop’ date which is the last date agreed between you and your builder by which your home must be completed.
   
2. Make sure your mortgage offer is valid: If you are using a mortgage to buy your property, keep an eye on when any offer may expire. Mortgage offers typically last for 3-6 months and can be the cause of a costly delay if not updated. Offers can usually be extended but it is your responsibility to keep your mortgage provider informed and make sure your finances are in place in time for legal completion. 
   
3. Read your contract thoroughly. The Code requires that your contract is clear, fair and written in plain English. It’s important to check it thoroughly and query anything that you feel is unclear. Contracts often include obligations to complete within a certain timeframe and can result in penalties or additional costs if there are delays. If you concerned about any aspect of your contract, discuss this with your solicitor or licensed conveyancer who may be able to negotiate some aspects on your behalf.
   
4. Arrange a pre-completion inspection: Under the Code, your builder must allow you, or a professional adviser appointed by you, to inspect your property before completion. This is your opportunity to identify any defects of ‘snags’ which need to be resolved before completion. For minor imperfections, you may agree that some of these can be resolved after you move in. Your builder will continue to deal with snags up to two years after completion. 
   
5. Update your insurance cover: You should have buildings cover in place from exchange of contracts, albeit some builders will cover this until completion so check with them if this is the case. However, don’t forget to update your insurance cover to include contents from the day you move in.

How the Code can help

As part of their commitment to the Consumer Code for Home Builders, your builder can only complete on a property that meets construction standards, UK building regulations and has home warranty insurance in place. They must also:

• Offer a pre-completion inspection at least 14 days prior to completion (see our video on making the most of snagging inspections)
• Offer a home demonstration and explain how any appliances work
• Tell you about any incomplete works which affect your home (such as roads, open spaces, landscaping etc) and likely timescales for completion 
• Explain who to contact for after sales queries, how, and provide a copy of their complaints procedure

These requirements help ensure you are happy with your home when you move in and understand how to raise concerns or report defects should you need to.

If you believe your builder may have breached the requirements in the Code, you can raise a dispute via our free Independent Dispute Resolution Scheme. For more information on raising complaints and disputes, download our complaints guide.

Supporting other aspects of your move

Did you know there are other Approved Code Schemes that protect other important purchases, including removals and storage and renewable energy? Find out more on the Approved Code Website.