Buying a house in the UK: the complete checklist

Six stages, 50+ action items. Every public register check linked to the source. Use this alongside the complete UK buying guide — the guide explains the why; this page is the what and when.

Last reviewed June 2026.

01

Before you start looking

Financial readiness

  • Get a mortgage in principle (MIP) from a lender — most agents require one before accepting offers. Typically valid 60–90 days. What is a mortgage in principle? →
  • Check your credit file with all three agencies (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). Dispute any errors before applying.
  • Budget for the true cost of purchase: deposit + SDLT + solicitor fees + search pack + survey + mortgage arrangement fee + Land Registry fee + removals. SDLT rates →
  • Calculate your SDLT liability — first-time buyer relief applies on properties up to £500,000 (England/NI). Scotland pays LBTT; Wales pays LTT.
  • Decide your tenure preference: freehold house, leasehold flat, or share of freehold. Understand the implications before searching. Leasehold explained →
  • If first-time buyer: confirm no outstanding Help to Buy equity loan obligations if considering a resale property. Help to Buy legacy issues →
02

Before and during viewings

Listing and property checks

  • Check the flood risk zone before travelling to a viewing. Free flood risk check →
  • Check the EPC band — Band F or G means high running costs and potential lender restrictions. Free EPC check →
  • Check radon potential by postcode if the property is in Cornwall, Devon, Derbyshire, Northamptonshire, or Yorkshire. Free radon check →
  • Check conservation area status — restrictions apply to what you can change externally. Free conservation area check →
  • Check listed building status — Listed Building Consent required for most changes, internal and external. Free listed building check →
  • Decode the estate agent language in the listing. Phrases like "much-loved", "blank canvas", and "deceptively spacious" each have a specific meaning. Agent language decoder →
  • At the viewing: check for signs of damp, fresh paint on walls (possible concealment), sloping floors, sticking doors, and cracked render.
  • Ask the seller how long they have owned the property and why they are selling. Cross-check ownership duration against Land Registry price paid data.
  • If leasehold: ask for the exact remaining lease term. Below 80 years is a red flag — extension costs rise sharply. Leasehold buyer's guide →
  • Check the council tax band before assuming affordability. Free council tax band check →
03

Before making an offer

Public register due diligence

  • Run an Eavesdrop report — 66 public registers cross-referenced against the property in 30 seconds. Every source cited, timestamped, and downloadable. Run a report — from £9.99 →
  • Confirm flood zone classification (EA Flood Map for Planning) and whether any surface water risk applies separately. Flood risk guide →
  • Review the EPC certificate in full — not just the band. Check the recommended measures list and their estimated costs. EPC guide →
  • Check the planning history for the property and nearby sites on planning.data.gov.uk — unauthorised works on the property, or a pending development next door, are both material.
  • If in a high-risk area: check coal authority interest. Relevant to South Yorkshire, County Durham, South Wales, Nottinghamshire, and East Midlands. Coal Authority search explained →
  • If leasehold: check Companies House records for the freeholder or management company.
  • Check for Japanese knotweed in the garden or on adjacent land. Look at the garden in summer when it is most visible. How to identify knotweed →
  • Review the Zoopla/Rightmove listing history — how long has it been on the market, and has the price been reduced?
04

After offer accepted

Legal, surveys, and searches

  • Instruct a conveyancing solicitor immediately — do not wait. Delays here add weeks to the transaction. What is conveyancing? →
  • Choose your survey level: Level 2 (HomeBuyer Report, £400–£700) for standard properties; Level 3 (Building Survey, £600–£1,500) for older, unusual, or high-value properties. RICS survey levels explained →
  • Commission the survey early — surveyors can be booked out 2–3 weeks. Do not wait for searches to come back first.
  • Review the TA6 Property Information Form when your solicitor receives it. Check all environmental, planning, and neighbourhood disclosure answers. What is the TA6 form? →
  • Review the TA10 Fittings and Contents Form — confirm which appliances, fixtures, and garden items are included in the sale price. TA10 explained →
  • Review the standard search pack results when they arrive: Local Authority (LLC1 + CON29), Drainage (CON29DW), and Environmental search. What each search covers →
  • If additional searches are flagged (mining, HS2, chancel repair), instruct your solicitor to commission them. Chancel repair explained →
  • If leasehold: request the full management pack — 3 years of service charge accounts, sinking fund balance, buildings insurance, and any active or forthcoming Section 20 notices. Leasehold checks guide →
  • Negotiate on survey findings before exchange. A flagged roof, rising damp, or knotweed is a legitimate basis for price reduction or a seller-funded repair.
  • Arrange buildings insurance before exchange — most policies require the property to be insured from exchange, not completion.
05

Before exchange of contracts

Final checks before you are legally committed

  • Confirm all search results have been reviewed and any queries resolved with your solicitor.
  • Confirm the survey is complete and any post-survey renegotiation is settled.
  • Check the mortgage offer is valid and will not expire before the proposed completion date. Mortgage offer vs MIP →
  • Confirm buildings insurance is in place and begins at exchange.
  • Confirm the deposit (typically 10%) is ready to transfer on exchange day. Ensure it is cleared funds — not an incoming transfer still in transit. Exchange of contracts explained →
  • Agree a completion date that works for both parties — check with your removal company that they are available on that date.
  • If leasehold: confirm the deed of covenant and notice of transfer fees have been accounted for in the completion statement. Deed of covenant →
  • Review the completion statement from your solicitor and confirm all figures before exchange. What is a completion statement? →
06

Completion day

Taking ownership

  • Transfer the completion balance to your solicitor by the agreed deadline — usually 12pm. Confirm funds cleared the night before if possible.
  • Do not collect keys until your solicitor confirms completion has happened — funds received by the seller's solicitor.
  • Take meter readings (gas, electricity, water) immediately on entry.
  • Check the TA10 Fittings and Contents Form — confirm all agreed items are present. Report any missing items to your solicitor the same day. TA10 explained →
  • Change the locks — you do not know how many copies of the key exist.
  • Set up utility accounts (gas, electricity, water, broadband). Note your council tax band and register with the local authority.
  • Update your address: DVLA, HMRC, employer, bank accounts, pension, GP, and electoral roll.
  • Your solicitor will register the title transfer at HM Land Registry — confirm they have done this and retain a copy of the updated title register. Title register explained →

Common questions

What checks should I do before making an offer?
Before offering, check the EA flood zone, EPC band, radon potential (UKHSA), conservation area status, listed building designation, coal authority interest, and planning history on planning.data.gov.uk. If leasehold, confirm the remaining lease term and ground rent clauses. Eavesdrop runs all 66 UK public registers automatically in one report.
When should I instruct a conveyancing solicitor?
As soon as your offer is accepted — not after. Research solicitors before you make your offer so you can instruct immediately on acceptance. Delaying even a week adds time to a process that already averages 8–12 weeks for a chain-free purchase.
What is the difference between exchange and completion?
Exchange is when both parties sign identical contracts and the sale becomes legally binding — the buyer pays a deposit (typically 10%) and a completion date is agreed. Completion is when the balance transfers, the deed is dated, and ownership passes. The gap is typically 1–4 weeks.
Which survey do I need?
The mortgage valuation is not a survey. For most properties, a RICS Level 2 HomeBuyer Report (£400–£700) is appropriate. For older, unusual, or high-value properties, a Level 3 Building Survey (£600–£1,500) is worth the additional cost. Specialist surveys for Japanese knotweed or drainage add further cost but are warranted when flagged.
What is in a standard conveyancing search pack?
A standard pack includes the Local Authority Search (LLC1 + CON29), the Drainage and Water Search (CON29DW), and an Environmental Search. Coal Authority searches are added in mining areas. See the property searches guide for what each covers — and what all of them miss.

Run all 66 register checks before you offer

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