Which of the following would be a prudent single step for the buyer's lawyer to require to help ensure that all parties release any interests they may have in the house and vacate on completion?

• A. That Ben and Lemar's names are inserted in Special Condition 7 in the contract which they both then sign
• B. That Freda appoints a second trustee to sell with her to overreach any beneficial interest Lemar might have
• C. That a deed of release is obtained from Ben and Lemar in favor of the buyer
• D. That the sale is conducted under a court order

Answer: (A)

Securing vacant possession and extinguishing any third-party interests through a binding contractual arrangement is the practical, single-step approach. By inserting Ben and Lemar’s names into Special Condition 7 and having them sign, the contract itself obliges them to release any interests and vacate on completion. This creates a clear, enforceable promise that those with potential rights cannot obstruct completion or claim an ongoing stake in the property, and it binds all relevant parties at once without needing separate post-exchange deeds.

A deed of release could achieve the same goal, but it adds an extra step and potential delay to obtain and register the release after exchange. Overreaching would depend on a trust structure and specific trustee arrangements, which is more complex and not a guaranteed single-step solution. A court-order sale is not a normal, prudent route for ensuring vacant possession and release; it’s drastic and usually far slower.