How long does it take to move house?
Around 5 months from offer accepted to completion, if you're buying in England or Wales. Here is the moving house process stage by stage, what holds it up, and where the removal fits.
Last updated: October 2026 · 4 min read
Written and fact-checked by the Removly editorial team · How we research prices
How long does moving house take, on average?
Buying a home in England and Wales typically takes around 5 months from offer accepted to completion. Rightmove's July 2026 figures put the average at 154 days, with London the slowest region and Scotland the fastest. The removal itself comes right at the end.
Source: Rightmove (Jul 2026) — and HomeOwners Alliance
Nearly all of that time is legal work, not lifting. A chain-free purchase can move faster; a long chain usually moves at the speed of its slowest link.
What is the moving house process, step by step?
1. Offer accepted
Instruct a conveyancer straight away and start your mortgage application if you need one. This is also the moment to get removal quotes, so you know the cost.
2. Searches, survey and mortgage offer
Your conveyancer orders searches. Local authority searches vary a lot between councils, and some take over a month. The survey and the lender's valuation run alongside.
3. Enquiries and signing
Questions go back and forth between solicitors until both sides are satisfied. Then you sign the contract and send the deposit.
4. Exchange of contracts
Exchange makes the deal legally binding and fixes the completion date — usually 1–4 weeks later, on a date everyone in the chain agrees. Same-day exchange and completion is possible, mostly without a chain.
5. Completion and moving day
Money moves, keys are released, and the removal van loads. Your moving house checklist covers everything to do in the weeks before.
What slows a house move down?
- The chain. Every buyer and seller linked to yours has to be ready at once.
- Searches. Some councils return them in days, others take over a month.
- The mortgage. A slow valuation or extra checks hold up the offer.
- Survey findings. A problem can reopen the price and the timetable.
- Leasehold flats. Management packs and freeholder answers add time.
Not all of it is in your control, but answering your solicitor quickly is. So is having your ID, funds and paperwork ready before you're asked.
How long does it take to move if you rent?
Much less. The main limit is notice. In England, from 1 May 2026 tenants on a periodic tenancy can end it with 2 months' notice, unless a shorter period was agreed. Wales and Scotland set their own rules.
Source: GOV.UK guidance for landlords (ending a tenancy) (2026)
If the old tenancy ends before the new one starts, removals and storage can bridge the gap.
When should you book the removal company?
Get quotes once your offer is accepted, so the cost is in your budget early. Book when exchange is close; many firms will pencil in a date and confirm it when contracts exchange. Fridays and month-ends go first, so if that's your completion date, move quickly.
For a rough price before you ask, our removal costs calculator gives a range in about a minute.
How long it takes to move house: FAQs
How long does it take to move house in the UK?
Buying a home in England and Wales typically takes around 5 months from offer accepted to completion. Rightmove's July 2026 data put the average at 154 days. The removal itself is the short part at the very end.
How long is it between exchange and completion?
Usually 1–4 weeks, on a date everyone in the chain agrees. Same-day exchange and completion is possible, mostly when there is no chain, but it leaves no room for anything to go wrong.
When should I book the removal company?
Get quotes as soon as you have an offer accepted, and book once exchange is close and the completion date is clear. Many firms will hold a provisional date and confirm it on exchange.
How much notice do I give my landlord when I move?
In England, from 1 May 2026 tenants on a periodic tenancy can end it with 2 months' notice, unless a shorter period was agreed. Wales and Scotland have their own rules.
Why does moving house take so long?
Mostly the legal work and the chain. Searches, mortgage offers and enquiries all have to finish for every buyer and seller linked to yours, and the slowest one sets the pace.