In England, completion is the day a property sale or purchase finishes: the buyer's solicitor or conveyancer transfers the remaining money to the seller's, and the buyer takes ownership of the property. The completion date is confirmed at exchange of contracts.
If your dates leave you out of one home before you can get into the next, that is a completion gap.
How completion day works
GOV.UK's home-buying guide puts the completion date "often around 2-4 weeks later" than exchange, "though they can occur simultaneously", and says "The keys are often handed over around lunchtime". If the money reaches the seller late, "which is more common in long chains", you "may not get access to your new home when expected".
Where a completion gap comes from
A gap opens when your sale or tenancy ends before your purchase completes, when completion is delayed on the day, or when the keys arrive too late to unload; see property chain and bridging storage.
Storing through a completion gap at Wigwam
- Minimum stay: two weeks.
- Paying: the first payment is taken when your order is accepted; later ones are taken in advance. What the first payment covers for a stay shorter than four weeks isn't set out consistently on our pages; ask on 0800 2545585 when you book.
- Price: our room-by-room size guide puts a one-bed flat at around 50 sq ft. The median (middle value) of the listed prices on our September 2026 price lists is about £78 per four weeks for 25 sq ft and about £143 for 50 sq ft. Nothing is added at checkout: the total in your quote is what you pay, and our prices include VAT.
- Access: smart entry, normally 6am to 10pm, so a van can unload the evening before or after a late handover. Confirm your hours when you book: Cheltenham's page shows both 8am to 6pm on weekdays (10am to 4pm at weekends and bank holidays) and 6am to 10pm.
- Booking ahead: our booking system says you can book "up to 2 weeks in advance of your move-in date". If your completion date is further off, ask on 0800 2545585 how early you can reserve.
- Your removals crew: you or someone from your side needs to be at the unit; see Can a removals firm drop off at my unit without me being there?
Leaving, and if completion slips
Notice to leave is written and normally 14 days; see Notice period. You can give notice during the two-week minimum. Ask us which email address to send it to, and give notice once your completion date is firm.
If completion slips before you move in: call 0800 2545585 and ask whether your start date can move. If you booked without visiting the site, clause 40 gives you "14 days after We confirm acceptance of Your order to change Your mind"; see Cooling-off period.
If completion slips after you've given notice: call us before your end date, ask for a later date, and get it agreed in writing. Clause 41 of our terms lets the ending run differently only if "otherwise agreed in writing by both parties"; our pages don't say whether we will agree a later date. If contracts had been exchanged, ask your solicitor or conveyancer whether the delay gives you any claim.
Related terms: Exchange of contracts · Property chain · Bridging storage · Notice period · Minimum stay
Related questions: Can I keep my unit longer than I planned, or leave later than my date?