A quick list of tasks for the buyer's Solicitor in Northern Ireland are:

• examination of ownership documents
• examination of contract
• making disclosure requests from the sellers Solicitor
• requesting and on receipt examining all necessary reports on:
  • planning status
  • building control Issues
  • roads
  • sewers
  • water
  • energy performance certificates
  • rights of way, access and usage
  • bankruptcy and court judgement details against the seller
  • searches in Land Registers against the property and the seller
• reporting to the buyer and settling details on:
  • valuation, timber and structural survey reports
  • fixtures, fittings and contents proposals
  • title details
  • contract proposals
• drafting and preparing for signature
  • transfer documents
  • mortgage deeds
  • stamp duty land tax self assessment tax returns
• having the buyer sign the
  • mortgage deed
  • contract
  • fixtures, fittings and contents lists
  • stamp duty land tax return (and possibly associated Power of Attorney)
• protecting lenders interests by checking:
  • the buyers identity
  • the buyer's life insurance protection is on risk
  • reporting to the lender on title details
  • reporting any adverse problems to the lender
• requesting
  • the deposit from the buyer and paying to the seller's solicitor
  • mortgage funds from the lender
  • the balance funds from the buyer
• effecting completion
  • paying the funds over on completion
  • paying the stamp duty land tax to the Inland Revenue
  • key arrangements
• registering in the land registry
  • ownership transfer documents
  • lenders mortgage documents
• finalising
  • closing searches on completion of registrations
  • collating all ownership documents and sending to lender to keep as security
  • closing the Solicitor's file and storing it for twelve years in case of future dispute

Legal content supplied by Wilson Nesbitt Solicitors.