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Pre-completion Steps for SQE1

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

07 May 2026

Revise pre-completion steps for SQE1 Property Practice, including searches, requisitions, undertakings, execution and completion preparation.

Property Practice > Pre-completion Steps

What is Pre-completion Steps?

Candidates often lose marks on SQE1 by overlooking pre-completion searches or misremembering which searches should be re-run — a procedural detail SQE1 questions may test repeatedly.

Key Principles for SQE1

When tackling Pre-completion Steps 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

Pre-completion steps come after exchange of contracts and immediately before the completion process begins.

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

SQE1 questions may test this distinction repeatedly — you must know which searches to re-run and the correct order of pre-completion activities.

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

  • Pre-completion Steps requires understanding both the law and the practical steps involved.
  • 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 is acting for a buyer purchasing a freehold residential property for £350,000. Contracts have been exchanged and the completion date is in two weeks. The buyer is obtaining a mortgage of £280,000 from a building society. The solicitor is also acting for the building society under the terms of the UK Finance Mortgage Lenders' Handbook. The solicitor has received the mortgage advance from the building society and is now preparing for completion. The solicitor needs to carry out the pre-completion searches. The property is registered land and the seller is the sole registered proprietor with title absolute. The solicitor has asked a trainee to prepare a list of the pre-completion searches that should be carried out. The trainee has suggested carrying out an official search of the register at HM Land Registry, a bankruptcy search against the buyer, and a company search against the seller. The seller is an individual, not a company. The solicitor is reviewing the trainee's list. The buyer has confirmed that completion funds will be available from the building society and the buyer's own deposit, which is being held by the solicitor as stakeholder.

Which of the searches suggested by the trainee is unnecessary in this transaction?

Question 2

Scenario

A solicitor is acting for a buyer in the purchase of a registered freehold property for £425,000. Exchange of contracts took place three weeks ago. The solicitor carried out a pre-completion official search (OS1) at the Land Registry on the day after exchange, which revealed no adverse entries. The priority period of the search runs for 30 working days from the date of the search. Completion is scheduled for tomorrow. The buyer is purchasing with the assistance of a mortgage. The solicitor has received the mortgage advance from the lender and has confirmed the completion figures with the seller's solicitor. The solicitor has also carried out a bankruptcy search against the buyer, as required by the lender. The solicitor now discovers that the seller entered into a second mortgage with a different lender two weeks after exchange of contracts. The solicitor has confirmed this through an informal telephone enquiry to the Land Registry. The seller's solicitor has been contacted and confirms that the second mortgage will be discharged on completion from the sale proceeds. The buyer has instructed that she does not wish to delay completion under any circumstances, as she has given notice to her current landlord and must vacate by the end of the week.

What is the effect of the second mortgage on the buyer's position, given the official search carried out after exchange?

Question 3

Scenario

A solicitor is acting for a buyer in the purchase of a registered freehold residential property. Contracts have been exchanged and completion is due in ten days. The buyer is purchasing with the assistance of a mortgage from a building society. The solicitor is also acting for the building society. The solicitor has prepared the transfer deed and is now carrying out pre-completion searches. The solicitor has obtained a priority search at the Land Registry (OS1), which reveals no adverse entries. The solicitor has also carried out a bankruptcy search against the buyer, as required by the building society. The bankruptcy search reveals that there is an entry against the buyer's name. The buyer has confirmed to the solicitor that she was made bankrupt four years ago but received her discharge two years ago. The buyer has provided the solicitor with a copy of her certificate of discharge from bankruptcy. The property has a large conservatory that was added by the seller five years ago.

What should the solicitor do in relation to the bankruptcy search result before proceeding to completion?

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