Unless the property is sold with an existing tenancy, the seller must deliver vacant possession to the purchaser upon completion. The formal agreement specifies the completion date and time, while fixtures and furniture included in the price should be listed in that agreement. The Estate Agents Authority’s guidance points to three checks before handover: possession status, timing, and included items.
Check Whether Vacant Possession Is Due
The first check is whether the sale is made with an existing tenancy. If it is not, the seller delivers vacant possession upon completion. The formal agreement should be checked for the exact wording so that the applicable possession arrangement is clear.
These points do not establish a separate physical-clearance checklist. The seller should not assume that a particular removal or clearance step is covered without checking the agreement.
Confirm the Completion Date and Time
The formal agreement specifies both the completion date and the completion time. The seller should check those entries before completion and use them to plan the actual handover.
The cited guidance does not state a universal clock time or alternative deadline. The exact timing therefore needs to be confirmed from the formal agreement rather than assumed.
Check Fixtures and Furniture Included in the Price
Fixtures and furniture included in the price should be listed in the formal agreement. The seller should compare the items understood to be included in the sale with the agreement’s list.
If an item is unclear, its inclusion should be confirmed against the formal agreement rather than inferred from the sale price alone. The cited guidance does not provide a standard inventory form or a rule for resolving an item that is not listed.
What the Seller Must Still Confirm
Before the property is handed over, the seller still needs to confirm:
- Whether the property is sold with an existing tenancy.
- The exact completion date and time recorded in the formal agreement.
- Which fixtures and furniture are included in the price and whether they are listed.
Any additional inventory, clearance, or other sale-specific requirement is not established by these three points and must be checked against the formal agreement or other applicable documents.