Guidance

Top 10 Tips for tip-top applications

Watch our caseworkers' top tips to make sure your applications are complete and correct. Avoid more than 20 common requisition points.

Applies to England and Wales

In 2023, we sent almost a million requisitions, 70% of which came down to around 30 specific issues. None involved a certificate or consent, but collectively they took us – and more importantly, our customers – a huge amount of time and money to resolve.

We asked our caseworkers for their top tips, and created ten short videos designed to help you lodge complete and correct applications.

Aimed at staff who are new to conveyancing or post-completion teams, you can view the short videos individually, all together or download and add them to your own in-house training.

We also published extra training materials such as guidance to help reduce requisitions, a webinar about how to avoid requests for information and our quick wins for fewer requisitions document.

Names

Find out where the most common issues arise with names in applications – and how to avoid them.

Top 10 Tips 1: Names - (YouTube)

More resources

Blog: What’s in a name?

Webinars:

Podcast:

Flowchart: Variation in names flowchart

Witness details

In 2023, we sent more than 52,000 requisitions over witness details. Find out how to get them right first time with our top tips. 

Top 10 Tips 2: Witness Details (youtube.com)

More resources

Guidance: Practice guide 8: execution of deeds

Webinar: Execution of deeds

Type of ownership

Do you often forget to tell us how new proprietors are to hold the property? Watch this video for a catchy way to remember. 

Top 10 Tips 3: Type of Ownership (youtube.com)

More resources

Blog: What kind of joint ownership do I have?

Guidance:

Identity

Find out when we need identity evidence and how to flawlessly fill out panel 13 of form AP1.  

Top 10 Tips 4: Identity - YouTube

More resources

Guidance:

Video:

How to complete form ID1

What’s missing?

Watch this video for tips on what to check before you send your application. After names, it’s the second highest reason for a requisition.

Top 10 Tips 5: Missing Pages (youtube.com)

More resources

Webinar: Bitesize: Forms and Deeds

Where’s the evidence?

Find out what missing evidence prompts a requisition and how to make sure you don’t get one. 

Top 10 Tips 6: Where’s the Evidence (youtube.com)

More resources

Guidance:

Dates and amounts

The deed is dated but you still got a requisition. Find out why – and what to do if you don’t know the price paid – by watching this short video. 

Top 10 Tips 7: Dates and Amounts (youtube.com)

More resources

Webinar: Bitesize: Forms and deeds

Deed in parts

We prefer to receive a single copy of a transfer, executed by all the parties. But if that’s not possible, how do you make sure you don’t get a requisition? 

Top 10 Tips 8: Partly Right (youtube.com)

More resources

Webinar: Bitesize: Forms and Deeds

Plans and descriptions

Watch this video to find out what makes a tip-top plan that we can accept first time. 

Top 10 Tips 9: Plans and Property (youtube.com)

More resources

Webinars:

Death of a proprietor

Check the evidence we need to amend the register if someone has died. 

Top 10 Tips 10: Death (youtube.com)

More resources

Blog: What to do when a property owner dies

Guidance:

Updates to this page

Published 22 January 2024

Sign up for emails or print this page