Which is the correct chronological order of steps in a conveyancing transaction from earliest to latest?

Which is the correct chronological order of steps in a conveyancing transaction from earliest to latest?

• A. Send client care letter → Receive mortgage offer → Exchange contracts → Check replies to TA13 → Send balance of purchase price → Pay SDLT
• B. Receive mortgage offer → Send client care letter → Exchange contracts → Pay SDLT → Check replies to TA13 → Send balance
• C. Exchange contracts → Send client care letter → Receive mortgage offer → Check replies to TA13 → Pay SDLT → Send balance
• D. Send client care letter → Check replies to TA13 → Exchange contracts → Receive mortgage offer → Send balance of purchase price → Pay SDLT

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that a conveyancing transaction follows a logical flow: establish the client relationship, secure financing, formalize the agreement, complete necessary information checks, and then finish with completion and tax obligations. You start by sending a client care letter to confirm instructions and terms, which lays the contractual framework and expectations. Next, you wait for and review the mortgage offer because the buyer’s ability to complete hinges on financing being in place. Only once funding is secured do you proceed to exchange contracts, making the agreement binding and fixing key terms and a completion date. After exchange, you check replies to TA13 to verify any tax or property information and ensure there are no hidden liabilities before you complete. On completion day, you send the balance of the purchase price to the seller to finalize the transfer of ownership. SDLT (Stamp Duty Land Tax) is then paid within the statutory window after completion, not before funds move, so it follows completion. This sequence keeps financing in place before binding the deal, ensures due diligence is complete before completion, and aligns the transfer of funds with the tax timing.

The main idea is that a conveyancing transaction follows a logical flow: establish the client relationship, secure financing, formalize the agreement, complete necessary information checks, and then finish with completion and tax obligations.

You start by sending a client care letter to confirm instructions and terms, which lays the contractual framework and expectations. Next, you wait for and review the mortgage offer because the buyer’s ability to complete hinges on financing being in place. Only once funding is secured do you proceed to exchange contracts, making the agreement binding and fixing key terms and a completion date. After exchange, you check replies to TA13 to verify any tax or property information and ensure there are no hidden liabilities before you complete. On completion day, you send the balance of the purchase price to the seller to finalize the transfer of ownership. SDLT (Stamp Duty Land Tax) is then paid within the statutory window after completion, not before funds move, so it follows completion.

This sequence keeps financing in place before binding the deal, ensures due diligence is complete before completion, and aligns the transfer of funds with the tax timing.