What happens after an offer is accepted?
Once your offer is accepted in England, the estate agent issues a memorandum of sale confirming the agreed price and everyone's details. You then instruct a conveyancer, apply formally for your mortgage, and arrange a survey. The property is usually marked sold subject to contract, and nothing is legally binding until contracts are exchanged.
An accepted offer feels like the finish line, but in England it is closer to the starting line. The agreement is not legally binding yet, and the weeks that follow are mostly about getting three things moving at once: your legal work, your mortgage and your survey. Knowing the order of events makes the wait far less unsettling.
Is an accepted offer legally binding in England?
No. In England and Wales, neither buyer nor seller is legally committed until contracts are exchanged. Until then, either side can withdraw or change the price, which is why the property is described as sold subject to contract.
That is uncomfortable, but it also protects you: if the survey or the legal work uncovers something serious, you can renegotiate or walk away without losing your deposit on the property itself.
What does the estate agent do next?
The agent produces a memorandum of sale. This is an administrative document, not a contract. It records the agreed price, the buyer and seller, and the conveyancer acting for each side, and it is sent to everyone involved so the legal work can begin.
The agent will usually also ask for proof of your identity and proof of funds, because agents have anti-money-laundering duties.
What should you organise yourself?
Three things run in parallel, and delays in any one of them hold up the whole purchase.
- Instruct a conveyancer or solicitor and return their client-care paperwork and identity checks promptly.
- Convert your mortgage agreement in principle into a full application with the lender.
- Book a survey at the level you need, from a condition report through to a full building survey.
- Keep a written record of who promised what and when, so you can chase accurately.
Step by step
- 1
Memorandum of sale issued
The agent circulates the agreed terms to both conveyancers.
- 2
Conveyancer instructed
You sign the client-care letter and pass identity checks.
- 3
Mortgage application submitted
The lender assesses you and instructs its own valuation.
- 4
Searches ordered
Your conveyancer applies for local authority, water and environmental searches.
- 5
Survey carried out
Your surveyor inspects the property and reports back to you.
- 6
Enquiries raised and answered
Your conveyancer questions anything unclear in the seller's paperwork.
Key takeaway
After an accepted offer, progress depends on three parallel tracks: legal, mortgage and survey. Nothing is binding until exchange, so keep momentum and keep a written record of every conversation.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from offer accepted to completion?
Many purchases in England take somewhere between two and four months from accepted offer to completion, but this varies widely with chains, leaseholds and lender speed. Treat any timescale you are given as an estimate rather than a promise.
Can the seller accept another offer after accepting mine?
Yes. Until contracts are exchanged the seller can accept a higher offer, which is known as gazumping. Moving quickly through searches, survey and enquiries reduces the window in which it can happen.
Do I pay anything at this stage?
You will usually pay for searches, your survey and sometimes a mortgage or conveyancing deposit on account. The main deposit is paid at exchange of contracts, not when your offer is accepted.
Stage tracker and notes log
MyMoveMate breaks the period after an accepted offer into clear stages and gives you a timestamped place to log every call with your agent, conveyancer and lender.
14-day free trial, then a single one-off payment of £49 for the whole move. It is not a recurring subscription.
Start your free trial