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Post-completion and Registration for SQE1

Part of our SQE1 Property Practice guide → View the full SQE1 Property Practice guide

03 May 2026

The transaction does not end at completion. Post-completion steps - including payment of SDLT and registration at HM Land Registry - are essential to perfecting

Property Practice > Post-completion and Registration

What is Post-completion and Registration?

Candidates often lose marks on SQE1 by misremembering the strict time limits for SDLT payment and Land Registry registration.

Key Principles for SQE1

When tackling Post-completion and Registration as part of Property Practice, remember:

  • Know the procedural steps and their correct sequence
  • Understand the legal effect and consequences of each stage
  • Be familiar with the standard documentation and processes
  • Apply the rules to practical client scenarios

Post-completion follows completion and includes critical steps like SDLT payment and property taxation reporting.

Exam Tip

Pay close attention to the order of steps in conveyancing scenarios. Exam questions often include answer options that describe correct actions at the wrong point in the transaction.

How This Appears in SQE1 Questions

SQE1 questions on this topic use transactional scenarios asking you to:

  • Identify the correct next step in the process
  • Select the appropriate document or search
  • Recognize the legal consequences of events
  • Advise on party obligations and timings

Strict compliance with deadlines and procedural requirements matters at every step.

Key patterns to watch for:

  • Questions that test whether you know the correct sequence
  • Scenarios involving both buyer and seller (or buyer and lender) obligations
  • Time-sensitive requirements and deadlines
  • Different procedures for different property types

Common Mistakes Students Make

Students often struggle with:

  • Confusing the order of steps in the conveyancing timeline
  • Applying rules from different stages to the wrong scenario
  • Overlooking procedural requirements
  • Forgetting time limits and deadlines

Quick Summary

  • Post-completion and Registration requires understanding both the law and the practical steps involved, including SDLT return and payment within 14 days of the effective date and OS1 priority for 30 working days.
  • Work systematically through the procedural timeline and practise applying the rules to realistic scenarios.

Want to test this now? Try a few SQE1-style questions below before moving on.

Test Yourself

Test yourself

Quick check questions based on this article.

Question 1

Scenario

A solicitor acts for a buyer who is purchasing a residential freehold property in England for £275,000. The buyer is an individual who has never owned residential property before. The buyer is financing the purchase with a mortgage of £220,000 and the remainder from personal savings. The seller's solicitor has confirmed that the property has an absolute freehold title registered at HM Land Registry. The property is not situated in a designated disadvantaged area. The buyer asks the solicitor about any tax liability arising from the purchase. The solicitor confirms that the buyer does not own any other property, either in the United Kingdom or overseas. The buyer is a British citizen who has been resident in the United Kingdom for the past ten years. The buyer has not entered into any linked transactions. The buyer wishes to understand the Stamp Duty Land Tax position before exchange of contracts.

What is the correct advice regarding the buyer's Stamp Duty Land Tax liability on this purchase?

Question 2

Scenario

A commercial property developer has recently completed the construction of a new office building. The developer is VAT-registered and has incurred substantial input VAT on the construction costs. The developer wishes to sell the freehold of the completed building to a purchaser. The sale of a new commercial building is a standard-rated supply for VAT purposes. The purchaser is a pension fund that intends to hold the building as an investment and let it to commercial tenants. The pension fund is not VAT-registered. The purchase price is £2,000,000 plus VAT. The pension fund's solicitor has advised that the pension fund should consider the VAT implications carefully. The pension fund does not intend to make an option to tax the building. The developer's solicitor has confirmed that the developer will charge VAT on the sale at the standard rate. The pension fund's investment adviser has noted that the building is fully let to three tenants on ten-year leases. The pension fund's accountant has asked whether the sale could qualify as a transfer of a going concern for VAT purposes.

Why is it unlikely that the sale will qualify as a transfer of a going concern (TOGC) for VAT purposes?

Question 3

Scenario

A solicitor is acting for a buyer in the purchase of a freehold property registered with absolute title. On reviewing the official copy entries, the solicitor notes the following: the property register describes the property and refers to a filed plan; the proprietorship register shows the seller as the sole registered proprietor; and the charges register contains two entries. The first entry on the charges register is a registered charge in favour of a bank dated 2018. The second entry is a notice protecting the benefit of a restrictive covenant imposed in 1985, which provides that the property shall not be used for any trade or business purpose. The buyer intends to use part of the ground floor as a small consultancy office while living in the remainder of the property. The solicitor has received the contract package from the seller's solicitor, which includes the property information forms. The seller has stated in the forms that the property has always been used as a residential dwelling and that no complaints have been received from neighbours. The buyer has mentioned that the area has several other properties with home offices. The buyer's mortgage lender requires a certificate of title confirming that the property is suitable for residential use.

What is the most significant issue the solicitor should advise the buyer about before exchange of contracts?

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Practise Post-completion and Registration Questions for SQE1

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