How to build a pre-completion review checklist tailored to each transaction type

A generic checklist is better than nothing — but it is not enough for a reliable pre-completion review. A transfer of land, a commercial lease, and a power of attorney each require different verification steps, and a checklist built around one will leave gaps in the others.

Why one checklist doesn't cover all transaction types

The fields to check in a transfer of title are not the same as the fields that matter in a deed of assignment or a shareholders' agreement. In a transfer of land, you are checking title numbers, property descriptions, the identity of the registered proprietor, and whether any charges are correctly described and consistent with the register. In a power of attorney, you are checking the scope of authority, the donor's details, and whether the instrument is executed in the correct form.

Using the same checklist for both leads to one of two problems. Either the list is so long that the fee earner skips items that clearly don't apply to this transaction, or it is so short that it misses the checks that only matter for this type of deed. The answer is a separate checklist for each transaction type used regularly in the practice, attached to the matter file from the day it opens.

The baseline that applies to every transaction

Before adding transaction-specific items, there is a set of checks that belong on every pre-completion review:

• Party identity: each party's full legal name matches their identity document, and the name in the deed or contract is consistent throughout.
• Client due diligence: required ID documents have been obtained, dated, and placed on the matter file.
• Authority to sign: if any party is acting under a power of attorney or as a company representative, that authority has been sighted, checked, and recorded.
• Dates: all dates in the document are internally consistent and do not conflict with the matter timeline.
• Document version: the engrossment being reviewed for execution is the agreed final version, not an earlier draft that was superseded.

This baseline applies regardless of transaction type. What goes above it depends on what you are completing.

Transfer of land

A checklist for a residential or commercial transfer should include:

• Title number: consistently stated throughout the deed and matching the official register entry.
• Property description and plan: consistent with the title register, any prior title deeds, and any plan attached to the transfer.
• Parties: the transferor matches the registered proprietor; the transferee's details are correctly stated.
• Price: stated consistently between the transfer and any completion statement or supporting documents.
• Charges: any charges being discharged are correctly referenced; any new charge is accurately described.
• Special conditions: any conditions agreed before exchange of contracts are reflected in the engrossment.

Commercial leases

For a lease, the focus shifts to the operative terms of the agreement:

• Parties: landlord and tenant details match the agreed heads of terms.
• Demised premises: the description is consistent across the lease, any attached plan, and the agreed definition.
• Term: start and end dates are correctly stated; break clauses or options to renew are accurately drafted.
• Rent and review: rent figures are consistent; the review mechanism is clear and does not contain internal contradictions.
• Permitted use: stated clearly and consistent with any planning conditions or restrictions mentioned elsewhere in the lease.
• Execution: signature blocks match the parties named at the head of the document.

Powers of attorney

A power of attorney checklist focuses almost entirely on scope and execution:

• Donor and attorney: full names and addresses are correctly and consistently stated.
• Scope of authority: the powers are stated clearly and cover what the client intends.
• Restrictions: any limitations on the attorney's authority are accurately expressed.
• Execution: the instrument is in the form required for the type of power being granted.
• Duration: whether the power is time-limited or general; any provisions for revocation are clearly stated.

How to use the checklist in the matter file

The value of a checklist comes from how it is used, not from the fact that it was created.

Attach it when the matter opens. Once the transaction type is clear, add the appropriate checklist to the matter file. It then becomes a live working document, not something retrieved the day before completion.

Work through it as documents arrive. Each document received is an opportunity to tick off part of the checklist. By the time completion approaches, most of the review should already be done rather than left to the final days.

Note what couldn't be checked, and why. If an item cannot be verified because a document hasn't arrived, or because information is outstanding, record it. An unexplained unchecked item is a risk. A noted reason for an outstanding item is a managed risk that can be resolved before completion.

Run a final pass before signing off. Before clearing the matter for completion, go through the checklist from beginning to end. Any remaining open items need either a resolution or a conscious decision to proceed with the outstanding point noted.

Keeping checklists current

A checklist that isn't updated stops being reliable. If a post-completion issue reveals a check that wasn't on the list, add it. If an item is never relevant in practice, remove it or reframe it so it is. An annual review of each template — or a review after any significant error — is usually enough to keep them useful over time.

What a checklist cannot do on its own

A checklist organises a review; it does not replace professional judgment. It does not catch inconsistencies that fall outside its scope, and it does not resolve the problems it surfaces — it flags them so someone can act. Its value is in making a process that otherwise depends on the individual reviewer's experience into one that can be applied consistently across the practice, whoever is doing the review.

If you'd like support with document review and verification in your practice, VerifyAct has tools built for that.