At which stage of the conveyancing process would the seller's lawyer respond to questions raised by the buyer's lawyer about the title?

• A. Post-Completion
• B. Exchange
• C. Completion
• D. Pre-Contract

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is that title enquiries are dealt with before the contract is exchanged. In the pre-contract stage, the buyer’s solicitor sends detailed questions about the title and the seller’s solicitor provides written replies. This is part of assembling the contract pack and vetting the property—checking who owns the title, what covenants or restrictions apply, any easements, notices, or outstanding issues, and ensuring the buyer knows what they’re buying. The information gathered and the seller’s responses help the buyer decide whether to proceed and, if so, to agree final terms before contracts are exchanged.

Post-completion and completion occur after the contract is signed and the sale is final, so they’re not the stages where title enquiries are addressed. Exchange is the moment the contract becomes binding, which follows the pre-contract exchange of information and replies. Therefore, the seller’s lawyer responding to title questions happens in the pre-contract stage.