Offer accepted — what happens next? A UK buyer's step-by-step guide

Buying · 7 min read · by Jordan · 8 July 2026

Your offer's been accepted. Congratulations — and now the strangest part of buying a home begins: weeks where it can feel like nothing is happening, nobody quite explains what's next, and you're not sure whether that silence is normal or a problem. Here's exactly what happens after your offer is accepted, in order, so you always know where you stand.

First, the reassuring bit: you're not committed yet. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland nothing is legally binding until you exchange contracts — often two to three months away. (In Scotland it's different: you become committed earlier, at conclusion of missives — more on that below.) So take a breath. This is guidance to help you understand the process and ask good questions — it isn't legal or financial advice.

Is my offer legally binding now?

No. An accepted offer means the seller has agreed your price and the property is marked "Sold Subject to Contract" (STC). Either side can still change their mind or renegotiate right up until exchange. That's why the next few weeks are about doing your checks — survey, searches, mortgage — before you commit.

Your first week: the four things to sort now

The buyers whose purchases go smoothly are the ones who move quickly in week one:

1. Get the memorandum of sale. Ask the estate agent to confirm the agreed price in writing and send the "memo of sale" to both solicitors — it's the starting gun for the legal work.
2. Instruct a conveyancer or solicitor. They handle the legal side. Compare a few on fixed-fee quotes, communication and reviews — the cheapest isn't always the fastest, and a responsive one is worth a lot. You'll pay some money on account and complete ID and anti-money-laundering checks.
3. Move your mortgage from "in principle" to a full application. If you have a mortgage in principle, now's the time to apply properly. A whole-of-market, FCA-regulated broker can handle this and compare lenders — many are fee-free. (We never assess what you can borrow; that's for your broker or lender.)
4. Decide on a survey. The lender's valuation is for them, not a check of the home's condition for you. Consider a Level 2 HomeBuyer report for most homes, or a Level 3 Building Survey for older or unusual ones.

Sort your ID, proof of deposit and payslips into one folder today. The single biggest avoidable delay is a buyer being slow to return paperwork.

What happens over the following weeks

This is the conveyancing stage — the legal work — and it's where the quiet sets in. Roughly in this order:

• Contract pack. The seller's solicitor sends the draft contract, title and property information forms. Your solicitor starts reviewing.
• Searches. Your solicitor orders local authority, water & drainage and environmental searches. Turnaround varies hugely by council — anywhere from days to several weeks.
• Enquiries. Your solicitor raises questions with the seller's side and negotiates the answers. This is usually the longest, most opaque stage — weeks can pass with little visible progress, and often that's completely normal.
• Mortgage offer. Your lender values the property and issues your formal mortgage offer.
• Leasehold only: if it's a flat, your solicitor requests a management pack from the freeholder or managing agent — these are notoriously slow, so it's worth chasing early.

Exchange and completion

Once the mortgage offer, searches, survey and enquiries are all satisfactory, you:

• Exchange contracts — you're now legally committed and you pay your deposit (usually 10%). You'll also need buildings insurance in place from this point.
• Complete — on the agreed date, the money transfers and you collect the keys. Moving day.

In Scotland, this part works differently. There's no exchange. Your solicitor negotiates missives (formal letters), and once they're concluded you're legally committed. You then move in on the agreed date of entry. If you're buying in Scotland, read our Scotland guide — the English terms simply don't apply.

How long will it all take?

Government figures put the average at around five months from offer to completion. A chain-free purchase with a simple mortgage can be faster; a long chain, a leasehold flat, or slow council searches can stretch it. The honest answer is that a lot of it is outside your control — which is exactly why knowing what's normal keeps you sane.

What's normal — and when to worry

Most silences are the process working, not a disaster. As a rough guide:

• Normal: a few quiet weeks during searches or enquiries; your solicitor waiting on the other side; a council taking a month on searches.
• Worth chasing: no update for two-plus weeks with no explanation, the same enquiry repeatedly unanswered, or your own solicitor not responding to you.

When you do chase, be specific and polite: ask which enquiries are outstanding and who they're waiting on. Specific questions get specific answers. (Home Buying Steps gives you ready-to-send chase emails, gentle or firm, matched to your stage — so you never have to word it from scratch.)

FAQ

Can the seller still pull out after accepting my offer? Yes — until exchange of contracts (or conclusion of missives in Scotland), either side can withdraw. It's uncomfortable, but it's why you do your checks before committing.

What's the very first thing I should do? Instruct a conveyancer and get your mortgage application moving. Both take time to set up, so starting early shortens the whole process.

How long after my offer is accepted until I move in? Around five months on average, but anywhere from ~8 weeks (chain-free, simple) to 20+ weeks (chains, leasehold, slow searches).

Do I need a survey if the lender is doing a valuation? They're different things. The lender's valuation protects the lender; a survey tells you about the home's condition. For most buyers a survey is worth it.

Is buying in Scotland different after the offer? Very. No exchange of contracts — you're committed at conclusion of missives and move in on the date of entry, and you'll pay LBTT rather than SDLT.

Want to see your own version, stage by stage? Home Buying Steps shows your country's exact process, tells you whether a wait is normal, and hands you the email to send when it isn't — free, and on your side only. General guidance, not legal or financial advice.

Home Buying Steps provides general guidance only, specific to the country you select — not legal, financial, mortgage or tax advice. Always consult your own solicitor or broker. Read the full disclaimer.