SKYWORK.AI DOCUMENT BRIEF
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Title: The UK Home Buyer's Completion Checklist
Subtitle: Everything you need to do from offer accepted to keys in hand
Format: PDF, A4, ~14 pages
Tone: Calm, organised, practical — like a project manager who's done this dozens of times
Audience: UK buyers who have had an offer accepted and are now navigating the buying process — anxious, time-poor, unsure what to do next

COVER PAGE
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Headline: "The UK Home Buyer's Completion Checklist"
Subheadline: "From offer accepted to keys in hand — nothing falls through the cracks"
Tagline: "Free from Findo — the home buying intelligence platform"
Visual direction: Clean checklist/timeline aesthetic, amber/warm palette, milestone icons

INTRO (1 page)
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Hook: The average UK property transaction takes 12–16 weeks. Most of the stress comes not from what's happening — but from not knowing what should be happening.
Problem: Buyers wait passively and panic when things go quiet. Most delays are preventable with the right checklist.
Promise: This checklist breaks the buying process into 6 clear stages. Work through each in order, chase the right people at the right time, and you'll complete with confidence.
Practical note: "Print this out or save it to your phone. Tick items off as you go. Share relevant stages with your partner."

STAGE 1: OFFER ACCEPTED (Days 1–3)
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Headline: "Move fast. The first 72 hours set the tone."
Checklist items:
1. Confirm offer in writing to the estate agent (get email confirmation back)
2. Instruct a solicitor (conveyancer) — do this today, not next week
3. Notify your mortgage broker — they need to formally submit your application
4. Book your survey — Level 2 minimum, Level 3 for older properties or your gut says so
5. Request the seller removes the property from the market (most agents will do this on accepted offer)
6. Set up a dedicated email folder for all property correspondence
7. Inform your landlord if renting — check your notice period now

Tip box: "Don't use the cheapest solicitor. Use a recommended one. A slow or disorganised solicitor is the most common cause of collapsed sales."
Timeline guide: "All 7 items should be done within 72 hours of your offer being accepted."

STAGE 2: SEARCHES & SURVEY (Weeks 2–5)
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Headline: "This is the due diligence phase. Don't rush it."

Conveyancing searches (your solicitor does these — understand what they mean):
- Local authority search: planning history, road schemes, tree preservation orders near the property
- Water & drainage search: whether the property is connected to mains sewer, proximity of public sewers
- Environmental search: contamination, flood history, industrial land, landfill proximity
- Mining search: relevant in coal/mineral mining areas — checks for underground workings

Survey (you arrange this):
- Book with a RICS-qualified surveyor, not the one your mortgage lender sends
- Level 2 HomeBuyer Report: flags visible defects, gives condition ratings, notes items to investigate
- Level 3 Full Structural Survey: recommended for pre-1930s, unusual construction, or properties needing work
- What to do when survey flags issues: get contractor quotes, then renegotiate — don't just pull out

What to chase in this period:
- Chase solicitor weekly for search results (they can take 2–6 weeks depending on local council)
- Chase mortgage broker for application progress
- Chase surveyor for report if not received within 5 working days of survey

Tip box: "A RICS Level 2 survey typically finds £2,000–£15,000 of issues in standard properties. This is normal. Use it as a negotiation tool."

STAGE 3: MORTGAGE OFFER (Weeks 4–8)
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Headline: "The mortgage offer is the green light. Chase it."

Documents your lender will likely ask for:
- Last 3 months payslips (employed) or last 2 years SA302 tax returns (self-employed)
- Last 3 months bank statements
- Proof of deposit (and source of funds if gifted)
- Photo ID + proof of address
- P60 (most recent year)

The mortgage valuation:
- Your lender will send their own surveyor to value the property
- This is for the lender's benefit — it is not a survey
- If the valuation comes back lower than the agreed price: you'll need to make up the difference in cash, renegotiate with the seller, or find a different product

Receiving the formal mortgage offer:
- Read every condition carefully
- Note the offer expiry date (usually 3–6 months)
- Forward a copy to your solicitor immediately
- Confirm your solicitor has everything they need to report to you

Tip box: "If you're self-employed, get your accountant briefed before applying. Lenders will scrutinise your last 2 years of accounts. Don't let surprises slow things down."

STAGE 4: EXCHANGE OF CONTRACTS (Weeks 8–14)
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Headline: "Exchange is the commitment point. Understand what you're agreeing to."

What happens at exchange:
- Both solicitors exchange signed contracts simultaneously
- Your deposit (usually 10%) transfers to the seller's solicitor
- The completion date is legally set
- If you pull out after exchange: you lose your deposit
- If the seller pulls out after exchange: you can sue for damages

Before exchange checklist:
1. Read the draft contract — your solicitor will explain it, but ask about anything unclear
2. Confirm completion date with all parties (you, seller, any chain properties)
3. Arrange buildings insurance to start from exchange (not completion — you're legally liable from exchange)
4. Transfer deposit funds to your solicitor's client account (allow 3–5 working days for transfer)
5. Book your removal company — get 3 quotes, confirm your exchange date before booking
6. Notify your landlord in writing of your moving date (if renting)

Tip box: "Request completion on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Fridays are the most common completion day and the most stressful — solicitors get swamped and bank transfers can delay key release."

STAGE 5: COMPLETION DAY
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Headline: "The day everything transfers. Know what to expect."

What happens:
- Your solicitor transfers the remaining purchase funds to the seller's solicitor
- Once received and confirmed: the estate agent releases the keys
- You are the legal owner from the moment funds are confirmed

Your completion day checklist:
1. Be available by phone all day — don't schedule anything else
2. Have your ID ready (you may need it at the estate agent)
3. Confirm with solicitor in the morning that funds are ready to transfer
4. Agree a time window with the estate agent for key collection
5. Do a final meter reading walkthrough before the sellers leave (if possible)
6. Take photos of every room and all meter readings on collection day (dated photos)
7. Check all agreed fixtures and fittings are present (check the contract list)
8. Get all keys, fobs, alarm codes, and garage door remotes at handover

What can go wrong and how to handle it:
- Funds delayed: call your solicitor at 9am and again at 11am. Funds rarely transfer before midday.
- Chain delay: one property in the chain can hold everything. Your solicitor will be chasing. Stay calm.
- Seller still in the property: unusual but happens. Solicitor can apply pressure. Worst case: same day evening handover.

Tip box: "Average completion time is 1–3pm. Don't book removal trucks to arrive at 9am on completion day. Book them from midday."

STAGE 6: AFTER MOVE-IN (First 4 weeks)
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Headline: "You own it now. Here's what not to forget."

Checklist — Week 1:
1. Notify DVLA of new address (driving licence + V5 logbook)
2. Register with local council for council tax (call or do online — you'll need to from day 1)
3. Contact utility suppliers — gas, electricity, water. Register as new occupier or switch supplier.
4. Set up Royal Mail address redirect from old address
5. Update your bank, employer, HMRC, and pension provider
6. Register on the electoral roll at your new address (takes 10 minutes at gov.uk)
7. Notify your insurer of new home address for all policies (car, life, contents)

Checklist — Week 2–4:
1. Book a boiler service if not recently done (ask for engineer certificate)
2. Locate your stopcock, consumer unit, gas meter, and electricity meter
3. Find and photograph all meters and note readings
4. Introduce yourself to immediate neighbours
5. Check whether any planning applications affect nearby land (council planning portal)
6. Set a calendar reminder: change smoke alarm batteries in 6 months
7. Request title deeds from your solicitor (they hold these — ask for digital copies)

Tip box: "Update your address everywhere in the first week. Missing one creates a chain of problems — missed bills, identity issues, incorrect records. Do it systematically."

TIMELINE OVERVIEW
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Visual guide (describe as a horizontal timeline):
Week 1: Offer accepted · Solicitor instructed · Survey booked · Mortgage application submitted
Weeks 2–4: Searches submitted · Survey completed · Documents gathered for lender
Weeks 4–8: Search results received · Mortgage valuation · Formal mortgage offer received
Weeks 8–14: Contract reviewed · Queries resolved · Exchange agreed · Deposit transferred
Exchange to Completion: Buildings insurance starts · Removals booked · Utilities notified
Completion Day: Funds transfer · Keys released · Meters read · Photos taken
Week 1 post-completion: Address updates across all providers

Note: "12–16 weeks is typical. Simpler chains move faster. Complex chains with 4+ properties can take 20+ weeks."

BACK PAGE
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Headline: "Keep your whole search organised."
Body: "Findo brings every property you're considering into one place — with cost breakdowns, comparison tools, AI analysis, and a full buyer's toolkit. Free to join."
CTA: "findo.co"
Tagline: "Home buying intelligence for serious buyers."