The buying process (and Ronnie)
Lesson 11 of 12 in our free Buying a Home guide: a 5-minute money game with the key points below.
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Quick facts
- Get an agreement in principle → Early. Know your budget before viewing.
- Have your offer accepted → Early. Then the real work begins.
- Survey and legal searches → Middle. Checking the property and its paperwork.
- Exchange contracts (England, Wales & NI) → End. Now it's legally binding.
- Completion — money moves, keys are yours → End. Moving day!
- Red flag: “please note our bank details have CHANGED due to an audit.” — 'Bank details changed' is the classic conveyancing fraud line.
- Red flag: “Send your deposit of £20,000 to the new account below today” — Urgent request for a huge sum.
- Red flag: “and do not call the office as phones are down.” — Stopping you checking by phone.
- Red flag: “Sent from sol1citors-uk.com” — Lookalike domain — '1' instead of 'i'.
- Fact: “In England, a seller can accept a higher offer from someone else before contracts are exchanged.” — That's 'gazumping'. Annoying but legal until exchange.
- Myth: “Solicitors often change bank details by email at the last minute.” — Treat any change as a scam until you've confirmed it by phone on a known number.
- Fact: “Moving a few pounds first as a test transfer, after confirming details by phone, can add a safety check.” — Confirm by phone, then check it arrived, before sending the rest.