After Offer Accepted
What happens after my offer is accepted?
Last reviewed: 3 October 2026
The brief answer
The agent issues a memorandum of sale. You instruct a solicitor, your mortgage adviser submits the full application, the lender values the property, you consider a survey and your solicitor carries out searches and enquiries.
In plain English
Your solicitor will check your identity and the source of your funds, review the seller's documents, order searches and raise questions (enquiries) with the seller's solicitor.
At the same time, your full mortgage application is assessed and the lender instructs a valuation. If approved, the lender issues a mortgage offer to you and your solicitor.
You decide whether to commission a survey. When everything is satisfactory, your solicitor reports to you, you sign the contract and you move towards exchange.
Why it matters
This is the longest stage and where most delays happen. Acting quickly at the start saves time later.
What to do next
- 1Instruct your solicitor within days.
- 2Tell your mortgage adviser immediately.
- 3Book a survey if you want one.
- 4Keep a list of outstanding items and who is responsible.
Checklist
- Memorandum of sale received
- Solicitor instructed
- ID and source-of-funds checks done
- Mortgage application submitted
- Survey booked