a) how do you know roughly what a lender is likely to lend you? i heard a rumour of 5x your salary, is that about right?
It depends on numerous factors, and some will lend more than others. Best starting point is to ask your main bank how much they would lend you, based on your bank account (not suggesting for a moment that you should actually use them, just to get an idea, like). Also, figure out hopw much you can afford each month, and ask the bank how much that repayment would give you in terms of the amount you borrow.
b) how do you actually go about making an offer? do you make the offer, then apply for a mortgage, or do you have to have a mortgage organised before you make an offer?
Normally you have a mortgage very loosely agreed in principal before you make an offer. You don;t have to have any paperwork done, just a verbal indication of how much you can borrow. Some estate agents will want you to have a preliminary mortgage offer in writing, but most won't. To actually make the offer you just tell the sellers' estate agent that you want to make an offer.
c) how does it work once you've had an offer accepted? what's the timescale and what needs to be completed before you get to the point where you receive the keys and the place is yours?
Immediately after your offer is accepted, you'll be asked to provide your solicitor's details, so it would be good if you already had a solicitor and a lender lined up at this point. How long it takes depends to a large extent on whether there is a long chain involved (in other words, does everything depend on your seller finding a property to buy, and if so, does the person they are buying from need to find a property to buy too, etc. A long chain can be a nightmare, but you're at an advantage as a first time buyer, so at least there's no chain at your end).
It could take anything from a month, which would be incredibly fast, to several months if the chain keeps falling apart. The next step after your offer is accepted is exchange of contracts (when everything becomes legally binding), and at exchange of contracts you will make a definite completion date (when you exchange funds and get the keys). Exchange and completion can be simultaneous, but it's more usual for them to be a couple of weeks apart.
d) following on from c, what do you do about moving from rented accomodation? presumably you can't give notice til you've got the keys to your new place so you end up paying a month's rent unnecessarily?!
See above. Your solicitor should be able to give you a good indication of the completion date at exchange of contracts, and you can request a completion date which corresponds with the date you can move out of your rental.
e) do lenders or estate agents require references in the same way they do when you rent a place? do they need your employer to confirm how much you earn?
Depends who you use. If it's your bank, they may not require much, if it's a company you've never dealt with before, they'll need to know everything from your blood group to your sexual history.
f) if one of you is a student, presumably their parents have to guarantee their income in the same way as they do when renting? are there any other complications as a result of being a student and buying?
Dont know
edit: oh and -
g) how does your deposit work - do you have to have it available in an instant-access account before you make an offer? when do you pay it over? and does it go to the bank or direct to the seller?[/QUOTE]
You would give it to your solicitor in cheque form to be held in a client account at some point before exchange of contracts, although in reality the deposit is not usually paid in full before completion (when it would be paid with the rest of the funds from your mortgage lender). Your solicitor may only require a nominal sum (eg £500) to be used at exchange of contracts. Your lender will require proof of the existence of your deposit, and if it's tied up in a long-term account, you'll need to have access to it sooner rather than later, so better give notice now, or at least find out how much you'll lose by withdrawing it without giving notice.
Er..I would have questions if I could get my head round most of it 
However, it was the best thing I ever did - nothing like not having to rely on a skanky landlord to get stuff done.
is cos there are 2 train lines, so i can go into london bridge and also victoria, elephant and castle, blackfriars, city thameslink ... and i can also go to lewisham which is great for canary wharf cos of the DLR. that's why most days i don't go via london bridge - going via lewisham is much more chilled out!
