Under no circumstances whatsoever should the keys be handed direct to the buyer unless the solicitor has confirmed that completion has been affected. Usually a set of keys will be left with the estate agents who should be given written instruction not to pass the keys over to the buyer without consent from the seller’s solicitor on the day of completion. This consent would only be given when the balance of purchase monies is received in the solicitor’s bank account. You should always keep a copy of your letter to the agent in this respect. In the event that you are selling without using an estate agent you would need to liaise with your solicitor for alternative arrangements to be made for the keys.
