Quick answer
Prepare the operative sale documents, proof of the seller's identity and authority, title and bond information, conveyancing requests, tax and clearance records, compliance material, occupation arrangements and a dated communication file. Put them in an index that shows the source, date, version, recipient and outstanding gaps.
How to use this guide
Do not postpone a consultation because one record is unavailable. Send the agreement, the latest written transfer status and any live notice first, then mark what is missing. A lawyer can help identify which gaps matter to the immediate decision.
Begin with a transaction identity page
List every seller and buyer exactly as they appear in the signed agreement. Record the property description, physical address, purchase price, agreement date, transferring conveyancer, transfer reference and any existing mortgage bond.
State the seller's legal capacity. An individual owner, company, close corporation, trust, deceased estate, insolvent estate or authorised representative may require different authority records. Include the relevant resolution, appointment, power or constituting document without assuming that any one form proves authority for every transaction.
If names, identity numbers, entity details or property descriptions differ between records, flag the discrepancy. Do not silently edit a copy to make the information appear consistent.
Assemble the complete agreement file
Include the signed offer to purchase or sale agreement, every annexure, disclosure form, suspensive condition, addendum, extension and later amendment. Keep each version separately and record when and by whom it was signed.
Add written communications concerning finance, guarantees, deposits, occupation, repairs, certificates, access, included items, conditions and proposed registration dates. A summary prepared later can assist navigation, but it should not replace the original message or executed document.
Where a new document is awaiting signature, place it in a separate proposed-changes folder. Identify which clauses it changes and whether it contains an admission, waiver, indemnity, settlement or changed payment responsibility.
Prepare identity and authority records securely
Collect the current identity, address, tax and authority material requested by the conveyancer. For an entity or trust, include the current documents identifying the entity, authorised signatories and relevant natural persons as specified by the accountable institution.
Use the firm's verified secure process for identity and banking records. Do not place passwords, credentials or an unprotected identity pack in the ordinary consultation bundle. Record that the protected record exists, who holds it and how it can be supplied safely.
Keep proof of each submission: date, method, recipient and acknowledgement. This helps distinguish a missing record from one supplied but not matched to the correct transaction.
Build the title and bond section
Provide the title-deed information or available copy and state who holds the original. If the title is believed lost, say so; do not initiate a replacement process or describe a copy as the original without professional guidance.
For a bonded property, include the lender, bond account reference, cancellation instruction, bank acknowledgement, settlement figures, title-deed location and guarantee correspondence available to the seller. Preserve each updated figure because a later amount may cover a different date or period.
Add any record concerning servitudes, exclusive-use rights, co-ownership, title conditions, interdicts or discrepancies between the registered property and the sale documents.
Separate clearance, tax and compliance material
Create a municipal folder containing account identifiers, recent statements, meter information requested, clearance-figure correspondence, payment proof, allocation confirmation and certificate status. Distinguish an advance against figures from the final reconciliation.
For sectional-title or community-scheme property, include levy statements, special-levy communication, managing-agent details, requests for figures, payment evidence and the certificate status.
Add the seller's tax references requested for the workflow, transaction declarations supplied for review, supporting-document requests and SARS updates. Keep an estimate, submission, assessment, payment and receipt as separate stages.
File every applicable compliance certificate with the provider, property, inspection date, remedial invoice and validity information. Requirements depend on law, local rules and the agreement.
Include occupation and impact records
Preserve the agreed occupation date, occupational rent, utilities, insurance, keys, access, tenant or lease records and written changes caused by the delay. Add invoices or statements for amounts the seller says arose during the extended period, without presenting that timing as proof of responsibility.
Maintain a correspondence chronology and missing-document log. For every absent item, record why it is requested, who should hold it, when it was requested and whether the conveyancer says it blocks signing, clearance or lodgement.
The seller document guide, transfer checklist, conveyancing glossary and property transfer service page provide the adjacent context without replacing this consultation pack.
FAQs
Must every original document be available before the consultation?
No. Identify where each original is held and clearly label copies, missing items and replacement steps still requiring advice.
Should banking details be included in the ordinary bundle?
Use the verified secure channel specified by the conveyancer or lawyer and independently confirm any changed payment instruction.
What if the agreement has several addenda?
Keep all signed versions and prepare a short version register showing the date, parties and clauses affected by each one.
Are municipal figures the same as a final municipal account?
Not necessarily. Keep the figures, payment, certificate and later refund or debit reconciliation as different records.
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Legal note
This article is general legal information for South African readers. It is not legal advice. Speak to a qualified legal professional about your specific facts before taking action.