Completion & post-completion
Completion transfers the legal estate on payment of the balance; post-completion covers the tax return and registration that perfect the buyer's title.
What "Completion & post-completion" covers
- Carry out pre-completion searches: an OS1 official search of the whole title gives the buyer a priority period, and a K16 bankruptcy search is made against a borrower for the lender.
- The buyer raises requisitions on title and prepares the transfer deed (TR1).
- The transfer must be by deed: LPA 1925 s.52, satisfying the deed requirements in LP(MP)A 1989 s.1 (signed, witnessed and delivered).
- Completion usually takes place under the Law Society Code for Completion by Post; the money is sent and the keys released.
- Pay SDLT in England (or Land Transaction Tax in Wales) and file the return within the statutory time limit.
- Apply to register the transfer, and any new charge, at HM Land Registry using form AP1; unregistered land triggers compulsory first registration.
- Ensure the application to register is lodged within the OS1 priority period.
Key cases & statutes
The authorities and provisions most likely to matter for this subtopic:
How it's tested in SQE1
SQE1 uses single best answer questions: a short factual scenario, one precise question, and five options of which only one is the best answer on the law applied to the facts. For completion & post-completion, expect to be asked what the correct legal position is, what a party may or must do, or which outcome follows — with more than one option looking arguable. Reading the facts carefully and eliminating the near-misses is the skill that earns the mark.
Where candidates lose marks
- Missing the SDLT / LTT filing and payment deadline after completion.
- Letting the OS1 priority period lapse before the registration application.
- Forgetting that a purchase of unregistered land triggers first registration.
Learn this subtopic in the course
A video lesson, notes and exam-style practice on completion & post-completion.
FAQ
Is completion & post-completion tested on SQE1?
Yes — completion & post-completion is part of the SQE1 Property Practice syllabus (FLK2) and can appear in single best answer questions.
How is completion & post-completion examined in SQE1?
SQE1 tests it by application: you're given a realistic scenario and choose the single best answer from five options. The focus is on using the law correctly, not reciting it — knowing the leading authorities (OS1 priority search, K16 bankruptcy search) helps.