How Long Moving House Takes | From Offer to Moving Day

From Offer to Completion

The government's home buying and selling reform roadmap, published on 19 June 2026, says it takes around 120 days on average to complete after an offer is accepted, that the journey is now around 60% longer than it was in 2007, and that around one in three transactions fall through.

Most of that time is conveyancing: searches, mortgage offers, enquiries and the chain lining up behind a single date. The roadmap's plans to shorten it come in stages: a non-statutory code of practice for estate agents later this year, a consultation next year on mandatory qualifications for estate and letting agents, and further legislation when parliamentary time allows. None of that will shorten a sale that is already under way.

Exchange to Completion

The completion date is fixed at exchange of contracts. Where a contract uses the Standard Conditions of Sale and says nothing else, completion is twenty working days after the date of the contract, about four weeks, though buyers and sellers often agree something shorter.

That gap is the window for booking the move, and it is often tighter than people expect. The British Association of Removers has called for a mandated minimum period between exchange and completion for exactly that reason. In Manchester the gap also has to cover a council parking suspension, which needs five working days' notice; our guide to reserving parking for a move has the detail.

Leaving a Rented Home

Renting moves faster. In England, from 1 May 2026, a tenant on an assured periodic tenancy can end it by giving two months' notice in writing, for example by letter, email or text, on the day the rent is due or the day before. A landlord ending a tenancy has to use the correct forms and usually give four months' notice, though it can be shorter on some grounds.

So a renter who finds a new place can usually be out within about two months of deciding to go. Book the van once the notice is given, not once the new contract is signed, because the end date is the one you cannot move.

The Moving Day Itself

There is no official figure for how long the day takes, because it depends on the stairs, the carry and how ready the boxes are. One national removals comparison site, reallymoving, estimates six to seven hours for a two bedroom home and ten to twelve hours or more for four or more rooms. Those are estimates for a full removal crew, not a promise.

A studio or a one bedroom flat with everything boxed is usually a few hours, which is why our minimum booking is typically two to three hours. A family house with a loft, a garage and furniture to dismantle is a full day. What makes it longer is mostly within your control: boxes not packed when the van arrives, a parking spot two streets away, or a lift that has not been booked.

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  Pack everything except the last night's essentials before the day.

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  Book parking or a lift slot at both ends ahead of time.

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  Measure the big items against doors and stairs at the new place.

If you would rather hand over the packing as well, our packing service takes that part of the day off you, and it is quicker to price than to explain on the morning.

The Days That Take Longest

The government's home buying guide notes that Fridays and the first and last days of the month are often very busy for removals, and suggests avoiding them for better rates and availability. They are also the days chains are most crowded, so a completion on one of them is the most likely to run late into the afternoon.

If the date is yours to choose, midweek and mid-month gives you the most room. If it is not, book the van for the whole day and read our guide to removal company waiting charges before you sign the quote.