Buyer due diligence checklist before exchange

Use this workflow to turn the sale file into one working checklist, with every open point assigned to a person and a target date. It is for conveyancing support staff and buyers who need to see what remains before exchange without treating the checklist as legal advice.

1. Set up the transaction record

Create a document named Due diligence checklist - [property address] - [matter reference]. Put the property address, buyer name, seller name, tenure, planned exchange date and planned completion date at the top.

Add these columns before reviewing any papers:

Field	What to enter
ID	A unique reference, such as T-01 or S-04
Area	Title, contract, searches, survey, finance, occupiers or communication
Source	Exact document name, date and page or section
Finding or question	A short, factual statement
Owner	Named person or team responsible for the next action
Target date	Date by which a response or decision is needed
Status	Open, sent, received, resolved or not applicable
Evidence	File name, email date or written confirmation that closes the item

Keep the source documents separate from the checklist. The checklist should point back to the evidence, not replace it.

2. Collect and label the input pack

Gather the latest available copies of:

• The memorandum of sale.
• Draft contract and contract papers.
• Official title register and title plan, plus any referred documents supplied with them.
• Property information and fittings forms, where available.
• Local authority, drainage and water, environmental and any other searches ordered for the matter.
• Survey report, valuation report if shared, and any specialist reports.
• Mortgage offer and lender conditions, if the buyer has provided them.
• Estate agent particulars, seller correspondence and any agreed inclusions.

Give each file a clear name with its document type and date, for example Local authority search - 14 May. Note the document date in the checklist. An older search or survey can still be useful, but the person handling the matter needs to know its date before relying on it.

If you use the model to extract issues, provide only the documents you are permitted to share. Check your organisation's data handling rules first. Product behaviour and available features can change, so use the current guidance in the xAI documentation overview when setting up the work.

3. Create the first-pass checklist

Review one document group at a time. For each item, capture the fact first, then the question or next action. Avoid broad entries such as check title or review survey.

Use these prompts when creating entries:

1. From the memorandum of sale, confirm the address, agreed price, estate agent, seller, buyer, tenure stated, fixtures included, proposed dates and any stated conditions.
2. From title papers, list the registered owners, title number, property extent, rights benefiting the property, rights affecting it, restrictions, charges, covenants, rentcharges and title plan discrepancies.
3. From contract papers and forms, list disclosures, occupiers, guarantees, alterations, notices, disputes, service arrangements, boundaries, utilities and included items that need confirmation.
4. From each search, record adverse entries, missing replies, entries requiring a specialist review and differences from the seller's information.
5. From the survey, list each recommendation, defect, access limitation, urgent item and item requiring a quote, further report or seller response.

Write entries in a form that can be acted on. For example:

Weak entry	Working entry
Survey issue	S-03: Survey dated [date], section 4.2, reports signs of roof covering deterioration. Buyer to obtain surveyor clarification or contractor quote. Owner: buyer. Target: [date].
Title check	T-02: Title register, Charges Register, entry 3 refers to a restrictive covenant dated [date]. Conveyancer to review the referred deed and advise what evidence or consent is required before exchange.

4. Reconcile conflicts across the file

Compare the same fact wherever it appears. This is where transaction-specific work matters most. Check whether the address, tenure, boundaries, parking, access, occupiers, alterations and included items are described consistently.

Create a separate checklist item for each mismatch. Do not decide which document is correct unless the responsible conveyancer confirms it. Useful conflict entries include:

• The title plan appears not to show land described in the estate agent particulars.
• The seller states an alteration has approval, but no supporting document is in the pack.
• The survey identifies a shared access route not clearly explained in the title papers.
• A search result refers to a proposal or notice not mentioned in the property information form.
• The memorandum states vacant possession, while correspondence refers to a tenant, lodger or other occupier.

Group linked questions under one parent ID if they concern the same issue, but give each recipient a distinct action. A buyer may need to obtain a quote while the conveyancer requests a document from the seller's solicitor.

5. Assign owners and target dates

Set an owner for every open item. Use a named individual where possible, rather than buyer or solicitor. Typical owners are the buyer, conveyancing support staff, the responsible conveyancer, seller's solicitor, lender, surveyor, managing agent or estate agent.

Set target dates backwards from the intended exchange date. Allow time for the reply to be reviewed, for a follow-up question, and for any required consent or report. Mark any item that could affect exchange as critical in the finding field or add a priority column.

The checklist can prepare and organise questions. It must not decide legal effect, title sufficiency, lender compliance or whether exchange should proceed. Send those points to the qualified person responsible for the matter.

6. Produce the outstanding-questions handover

Filter the list to Open and Sent items. Create a short handover section at the top of the checklist with:

• The number of open items and the number marked critical.
• Questions awaiting the seller's solicitor, grouped in a numbered request list.
• Actions the buyer must complete, with documents or decisions needed.
• Items awaiting professional review, including the source reference.
• The next chase date and the person who will send it.
• Any document still missing from the input pack.

Send the question list in clear, neutral language. Quote the source and ask for a specific document, confirmation or explanation. Keep a copy of the sent request and update the relevant checklist item to Sent with the date.

7. Check the output before relying on it

Read the checklist against the source pack, not just against the generated summary. Spot-check every critical entry and every item marked resolved. Confirm the page reference, document date, owner and evidence are correct.

If you see this	Do this
A broad item with no action	Split it into specific questions or actions
A resolved item without evidence	Reopen it until a file, email or written confirmation is recorded
A claim not found in the source papers	Delete it or mark it as unverified and investigate
A target date after exchange	Escalate it to the responsible conveyancer or revise the transaction plan

When the workflow does not work

If the output is vague, return to the source document that produced the vague entry and rewrite it with a page reference and a single next action. If documents conflict or are missing, record the conflict or absence rather than trying to resolve it in the checklist. If a point may affect title, contract terms, lender requirements or the decision to exchange, pause the administrative workflow and ask the responsible conveyancer or other qualified adviser to review it.