5. What should a purchaser be aware of if there is an existing mortgage on the flat before he/she signs the provisional sale and purchase agreement?

The purchaser's solicitor will ask the vendor's solicitor to undertake to make sure that:

1. the vendor pays off any existing mortgage; and
2. the vendor's solicitor will give the discharge documents (bank documents showing that all mortgages have been paid off) to the purchaser's solicitor within a certain number of days after completion of the purchase (i.e. after payment of the purchase price by the purchaser).