Buying a Property

What is the difference between exchange and completion?

Plain-English milestones for England and Wales purchases, not legal advice for your contract.

Published: 20 Apr 2026 · Updated: 20 Apr 2026 · 9 min read

Property Passport UK

See this information for your own home

Free address search across England and Wales. No account needed.

19.4 million searchable properties. EPC, flood risk, sold prices, planning, and more in one structured record per home.

Exchange creates binding obligation

Until exchange, either side may walk away subject to costs and ethics.

Completion is handover

Keys and money move on the agreed day.

Dates can differ

Gap between exchange and completion varies.

What to check next

Use [Property Passport UK](/search) to anchor the property. [Claim your Property Passport](/claim/start) when you own or manage the home. Browse the [guides library](/guides) and [what is a Property Passport](/what-is-a-property-passport) for product context. Role pages: [estate agents](/for-agents), [housebuilders](/for-housebuilders), [conveyancers](/for-conveyancers), [surveyors](/for-surveyors).

How Property Passport UK helps

Property Passport UK combines official context with permissioned Documents and Stakeholder sharing. It supports information organisation, checks, provenance, and transaction preparation. It does not replace HM Land Registry, regulated professionals, or official search products.

Frequently asked questions

Is this legal, survey, or mortgage advice?

No. General UK property information only.

Can I rely on user-uploaded documents alone?

No. Verify where decisions depend on them.

Disclaimer: Not legal advice, not surveying advice, not mortgage advice.

Essential Buying a Property guides