Will My Solicitor Tell Me When We Exchange Contracts?

Yes. Your solicitor will always tell you when you have exchanged contracts, and they will usually do it within minutes, by phone or email, because exchange is the moment the deal becomes legally binding. They also cannot exchange without your say-so: in England and Wales you have to authorise it first, and the deposit and completion date are agreed before they lift the phone. So you will not miss the moment, and it will not happen behind your back.

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Key Takeaways

• Your solicitor will contact you the same day — usually a quick call or email confirming contracts have exchanged, because you need to know immediately.
• You authorise exchange first — your solicitor cannot exchange without your instruction, and you will have signed the contract and agreed the completion date beforehand.
• The completion date is fixed at exchange — this is the day you get the keys, and it becomes a firm legal date once contracts are exchanged.
• From exchange you are committed — arrange buildings insurance to start from exchange, as you are now legally bound to buy.

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How And When Your Solicitor Tells You

Exchange does not happen quietly in the background. In the days before, your solicitor sends you a report on the contract, asks you to sign the contract and transfer deed, confirms your deposit has cleared into their account, and asks you to authorise exchange. Only once you have given that authority do they proceed.

On the day itself, your solicitor and the seller's solicitor speak on the phone and formally exchange the two signed contracts, reading the agreed terms to each other and recording the exact time. The instant that is done:

• Your solicitor rings or emails you to confirm you have exchanged.
• They tell you the completion date that has been fixed.
• Written confirmation follows, usually the same day.

If you are anxious about missing the call, tell your solicitor the best number to reach you on and ask them to text if they cannot get through. Many buyers describe exchange day as a lot of waiting followed by a two-minute phone call — that call is the confirmation you are waiting for.

What Happens On The Day

Exchange itself is short, but several things click into place at once.

The contract becomes binding

Before exchange, either party could walk away with limited consequences. After exchange, both sides are legally committed. A buyer who pulls out now typically forfeits their deposit and can face further claims; a seller who pulls out can be sued. Our guide on a seller pulling out before exchange explains why exchange is the dividing line.

The deposit is paid

Your deposit — commonly 10% of the purchase price, though sometimes less by agreement — is passed to the seller's solicitor as part of exchange. This is why your solicitor needs the cleared funds in their client account beforehand.

The completion date is set

Completion is the day you collect the keys and the money changes hands. The date is agreed across the whole chain and locked in at exchange. It might be the same day, but one to two weeks later is common.

What Is Settled At Exchange

Think of exchange as the point where the loose ends become firm commitments.

• Price — the agreed figure is now fixed in a binding contract.
• Deposit — paid on exchange and held towards the purchase price.
• Completion date — a firm legal deadline both parties must meet.
• The property — you are now committed to buying this specific home, so insure it from exchange.

Because you are legally bound from this moment, it is worth having your mortgage fully in place well before exchange. If you want a refresher on that stage, see what happens after a mortgage offer. Between exchange and completion, your solicitor requests your mortgage funds, carries out final searches and prepares to send the balance to the seller.

If completion day arrives and something goes wrong with the keys, our article on completion day with no keys covers your options — but that is a separate stage from exchange.

Making Sure You Do Not Miss It

You are very unlikely to miss exchange, but you can make the day smoother.

• Keep your phone on and to hand on the day exchange is expected.
• Confirm your contact details with your solicitor in advance.
• Reply quickly to the authority-to-exchange request, as your solicitor cannot proceed until you have signed and instructed them.
• Do not book non-refundable removals until you have that confirmation, because nothing is binding until exchange happens.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly will my solicitor tell me after exchange?

Almost immediately — typically a phone call within minutes, followed by written confirmation the same day. Exchange is too important for them to sit on, and you will have been expecting it.

Can my solicitor exchange without asking me?

No. In England and Wales your solicitor needs your authority to exchange. You sign the contract and give explicit instruction to proceed, so it cannot happen without your knowledge.

Is it different in Scotland?

Yes. Scotland does not use exchange of contracts in the same way — the deal is concluded through missives, which typically become binding earlier. Your Scottish solicitor will explain when you are legally committed.

What do I need to do before exchange?

Sign the contract and transfer deed, make sure your deposit funds have cleared into your solicitor's account, confirm your mortgage offer is in place, and give your solicitor authority to exchange.

General information only, not financial advice. Conveyancing practice varies and the law differs across the UK — confirm your position with your own solicitor or conveyancer.