Completion Day on a New Build: Your Hour-by-Hour Guide to Getting the Keys

Before Completion Day: The Build-Up

Completion day doesn't start cold. In the days and weeks leading up to it, several things happen:

The Completion Notice

The developer issues a completion notice — a formal notification that the property will be ready on a specific date. The notice period varies by developer and contract, but is typically 10–14 working days. Some contracts allow as little as 5 working days, which can catch buyers off guard.

When you receive the completion notice, your solicitor will confirm the date and begin preparing the final paperwork. Your mortgage lender will release funds to your solicitor's account (this usually takes 3–5 working days to arrange).

Pre-Completion Inspection

Most developers invite you for a pre-completion inspection (sometimes called a "home demonstration" or "handover preview") a few days before completion. This is your chance to walk through the finished property with a site manager who will:

Show you how the heating system, hot water, and thermostat work
Demonstrate the kitchen appliances and extractor fan
Explain the ventilation system (MVHR or trickle vents)
Point out the stopcock, consumer unit (fuse board), and meter locations
Walk you through any smart home features or electric car charging points

This is not a snagging inspection — it's a familiarisation visit. However, if you spot any obvious issues (unfinished paintwork, damaged fittings, missing items), flag them immediately and ask for confirmation they'll be resolved before completion.

Should You Get a Professional Snagging Survey?

A professional snagging survey costs £300–£500 depending on the property size and involves an independent inspector checking the property for defects. Ideally, you'd have this done before completion, but many developers won't allow independent inspectors on site until after you've legally completed and received the keys.

If the developer won't allow pre-completion snagging, book the inspector for the day after completion or as soon as possible. You have rights under the NHBC Buildmark warranty (or equivalent) to have defects rectified, and a professional snagging list gives you documented evidence. See our complete snagging guide for details.

Completion Day: Hour by Hour

8:00–9:00 AM: Funds Transfer Begins

Your solicitor sends the completion funds to the developer's solicitor via bank transfer (CHAPS — same-day cleared payment). The amount transferred is the full purchase price minus:

The exchange deposit (already held by the developer's solicitor)
The mortgage advance (sent separately by your lender to your solicitor, usually the day before or early morning)

For example, on a £300,000 purchase with a 10% deposit (£30,000) already paid at exchange and a £255,000 mortgage:

Your solicitor needs to transfer: £300,000 – £30,000 (deposit) – £255,000 (mortgage) = £15,000 from your personal funds
Plus the £255,000 mortgage advance
Total CHAPS transfer: £270,000

Make sure any personal contribution is in your solicitor's client account at least 2 working days before completion. Last-minute transfers can cause same-day delays.

10:00 AM–1:00 PM: Waiting for Confirmation

This is the frustrating part. After the money is sent, everyone waits for the developer's solicitor to confirm receipt. CHAPS transfers are usually received within 1–2 hours, but the developer's solicitor then needs to verify the amount and confirm completion to all parties.

During this time:

Don't call your solicitor every 30 minutes — they'll contact you as soon as they have confirmation
Don't load up the removal van and drive to the property before getting the call — until completion is confirmed, you don't own the property and can't enter it
Have your phone charged and on loud — you don't want to miss the call

1:00–3:00 PM: Completion Confirmed

Your solicitor calls to confirm: completion has taken place. You now legally own the property. The developer's sales team will then arrange key collection — usually from the site sales office or from the site manager.

3:00–5:00 PM: Key Collection and Handover

This is the moment you've been waiting for. At key collection, the developer will typically provide:

All keys: Front door, back door, garage, windows (if keyed), meter cupboard
The home user guide: A folder or booklet containing appliance manuals, warranty certificates, maintenance guidance, and emergency contact numbers
NHBC or warranty documentation: Your 10-year structural warranty paperwork
Meter readings: Initial readings for gas, electricity, and water meters
Emergency contact card: Who to call for out-of-hours emergencies in the first 2 years (usually the developer's customer care team)

The Handover Inspection: What to Check Before You Accept the Keys

Even if you've had a pre-completion visit, do a thorough walkthrough when you collect the keys. You're looking for anything that wasn't there before, or issues that have appeared since your last visit. Bring a notebook (or use your phone) and check:

Throughout the Property

Walls and ceilings: Look for cracks, unfinished paint, scuff marks, uneven plaster, or nail pops (small bumps where drywall nails push through)
Doors: Open and close every internal and external door. Check they latch properly, don't scrape the floor, and have functioning handles and locks
Windows: Open and close every window. Check the seals, make sure trickle vents work, and verify all locks function
Flooring: Walk every room listening for creaks, squeaks, or unevenness. Check tiling for cracks, grout gaps, or loose tiles
Sockets and switches: Test every light switch and plug socket. Bring a phone charger to test sockets quickly
Radiators: Turn the heating on briefly and check every radiator heats up

Kitchen

Run the hot and cold taps — check pressure and temperature
Open and close every cupboard and drawer — check hinges and runners
Test all integrated appliances (oven, hob, dishwasher, extractor fan)
Check the worktop for chips, scratches, or gaps at the wall seal
Run the dishwasher on a quick cycle to check for leaks

Bathrooms

Flush every toilet — check it fills properly and doesn't run continuously
Run the shower on full power — check pressure and drainage
Fill and drain each basin and bath — watch for slow drainage
Check silicone seals around baths, shower trays, and basins
Look for cracked tiles or loose grouting

Outside

Walk the boundary — is your fencing complete and secure?
Check the driveway/parking area for cracks or poor finishing
Test external taps and any outdoor lighting
Look at the roof from ground level — any missing or slipped tiles visible?
Check gutters and downpipes are attached and directed to drains

Anything you find should be logged and reported to the site manager or customer care team. You can also include these items in your formal snagging list — see our snagging guide for how to do this effectively.

What If There Are Problems on Completion Day?

New build completions don't always go smoothly. Here are the most common issues and how to handle them:

The Property Isn't Finished

This is the nightmare scenario. You arrive to collect keys and find the property still has builders in it, missing kitchen units, or an unfinished garden. You have two options:

Refuse to complete. If the property isn't in a habitable condition or doesn't match the contractual specification, you can refuse to accept it. Tell your solicitor immediately — they'll advise on your contractual rights.
Complete with a retention. Your solicitor can negotiate a retention — a portion of the purchase price held back until outstanding work is completed. This is rare on new builds (developers resist it), but it's worth asking about if the issues are significant.

The Funds Don't Arrive on Time

If there's a delay in the CHAPS transfer (bank error, incorrect reference, late mortgage release), completion gets pushed to the next working day. This can have knock-on effects:

Your removal company may charge for an extra day
If you've already given notice on your rental or sold your previous home, you may need temporary accommodation
The developer may charge interest on the late completion (check your contract)

To minimise this risk, ensure all funds are with your solicitor at least 2 days early, and confirm with your lender that the mortgage advance will be released on time.

The Developer Delays Completion

If the developer can't complete on the agreed date (construction delays, failed building control sign-off), they should notify you as early as possible. Your contract includes a long-stop date — if the developer hasn't completed by this date, you can withdraw and reclaim your deposit. For more on this, see our exchange of contracts guide.

Your First-Day Checklist

Once you're in, there are practical things to sort immediately:

Utilities and Services

Take meter readings for gas, electricity, and water. Photograph them with your phone — you'll need these when setting up accounts.
Register with energy suppliers. New builds are often pre-registered with a default supplier. You can switch immediately if you want, but take readings first.
Set up water. Contact your local water company to register the property in your name.
Set up broadband. Order this as early as possible — installation can take 2–3 weeks. Check if the development has full fibre (FTTP) which most new builds now have.
Council tax. Contact your local authority to register for council tax. New builds are sometimes in a different band than expected — you can challenge the banding if you think it's wrong.

Security

Change the locks. Multiple tradespeople have had access to your property during construction. Consider changing the locks — or at minimum, confirm how many sets of keys exist and account for all of them.
Set up any alarm system. If your property came with a burglar alarm, activate it and set your codes.
Register your NHBC warranty. Make sure you're registered as the homeowner with NHBC (or whichever warranty provider covers your property).

Documentation

Photograph everything. Before you move furniture in, photograph every room, wall, floor, and fixture. This gives you a dated record of the property's condition at handover — invaluable if you later need to prove a defect was present from day one.
File your warranty documents safely. You'll need these for the next 10 years. The NHBC Buildmark warranty covers: years 1–2 (developer must fix defects), years 3–10 (NHBC covers structural defects).
Keep all manuals. Boiler servicing schedules, appliance warranties, ventilation system guidance — file them where you can find them.

The Two-Year Defect Period

This is unique to new builds and it's important. Under the NHBC Buildmark warranty (which covers most new build homes in the UK), the developer is responsible for fixing defects during the first two years after completion. This includes:

Plumbing and drainage issues
Heating system faults
Poor plastering, cracked tiles, or faulty joinery
Window and door seal failures
External drainage and landscaping defects
Any items on your snagging list that weren't resolved

Report defects to the developer's customer care team as soon as you notice them. Keep written records of everything — emails are better than phone calls because they create a paper trail. If the developer is unresponsive, you can escalate to the NHBC or use the formal dispute resolution process.

Before the two-year mark, do a thorough check of the entire property. Some defects only become apparent over time (e.g., settlement cracks after the first heating season, damp patches during winter). Report everything before the two-year deadline.

Moving In: Practical Tips

Don't book removals for the morning. Completion usually confirms in the early afternoon. Book your removal for 2:00 PM onwards, or better yet, the day after completion.
Bring a cleaning kit. New builds look clean but are often covered in building dust. A quick vacuum and wipe-down of kitchen surfaces and bathrooms before unpacking makes a difference.
Ventilate the property. New builds are built to be airtight for energy efficiency, which means they can smell of paint, adhesive, and new materials. Open all windows for a few hours.
Don't hang heavy items on walls immediately. New build plaster needs time to fully cure (up to 12 months). Use appropriate fixings and be gentle with fresh walls in the first few months.
Expect some shrinkage cracks. As the house dries out and settles over the first year, small cracks may appear around door frames and where walls meet ceilings. This is normal and cosmetic — they're easily filled before you redecorate.

The Bottom Line

Completion day on a new build is exciting, but it pays to be prepared. Know what to check, bring a checklist, and don't rush through the handover. The property is brand new, but that doesn't mean it's perfect — document everything, report issues promptly, and use your warranty rights.

For the full picture of the entire buying process from first visit to moving day, see our complete step-by-step buying guide. If you're still in the earlier stages, read our guide on what happens after you reserve a new build.