Property Data

What is a Completion Statement? Every Line on Your Solicitor's Final Bill Explained

A completion statement sets out every payment made and received on the day you complete a property purchase or sale. This guide explains every line so there are no surprises.

Published: 16 Mar 2026 · Updated: 16 Mar 2026 · 8 min read

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What is a Completion Statement?

A completion statement is the financial summary your solicitor or conveyancer produces immediately before the day you complete a property transaction. It sets out every sum of money passing through the solicitor's client account on your behalf, what you owe, what you have already paid, and what you will receive if you are selling.

You should receive a draft completion statement a few days before completion so you have time to review it and raise any questions. The final version is produced on completion day itself.

Buyer's Completion Statement, Line by Line

Line item	What it is
Purchase price	The agreed sale price of the property
Less mortgage advance	The amount your lender releases on completion
Less deposit paid	The deposit already paid on exchange of contracts
Balance to complete	The sum you must transfer to your solicitor before completion
Stamp Duty Land Tax	SDLT due, calculated and paid on your behalf
Land Registry registration fee	The fee to register your ownership with HMLR
Solicitor's legal fee	The conveyancer's own charges for carrying out the transaction
Search fees	Land Registry, local authority, drainage, and environmental searches
Electronic transfer fee	Bank transfer charge for moving funds on completion day
ID and AML check fee	Anti-money laundering verification costs

Seller's Completion Statement, Key Lines

If you are selling, your completion statement works in reverse, it shows the proceeds of sale and deductions:

**Sale price received**, the full purchase price paid by the buyer
**Less mortgage redemption**, the amount sent to your lender to repay your mortgage in full
**Less estate agent's commission**, the agreed agency fee including VAT
**Less solicitor's legal fee**, the conveyancing fees for the sale
**Balance to you**, the net proceeds transferred to your bank account after all deductions

Why the Balance to Complete Differs from Funds Transferred

A common point of confusion is why the amount you transfer to your solicitor does not equal the purchase price minus your mortgage. The difference is made up of all the additional costs, SDLT, Land Registry fees, search fees, and solicitor's charges. Always check that the balance to complete figure on the draft completion statement matches what your solicitor has told you to transfer, and verify your solicitor's account details by calling them directly rather than relying solely on email.

Stamp Duty Land Tax on the Completion Statement

SDLT is always collected and remitted by your solicitor on your behalf. You will never pay HMRC directly. The solicitor must submit an SDLT return and pay the tax within 14 days of completion, so the SDLT amount will appear as a disbursement on your completion statement.

Land Registry Fees

The registration fee charged by HM Land Registry depends on the purchase price of the property. It will appear as a separate disbursement on your statement. Your solicitor must submit the application to register your title, typically within the priority period given by official searches.

Checking Your Completion Statement

Before you approve the completion statement, verify:

The purchase price matches the contract
The SDLT figure matches your own calculation
The Land Registry fee is consistent with the purchase price band
Search fees are itemised individually rather than grouped into a single unexplained charge
All figures add up correctly to the balance to complete

Property Passport UK can help you cross-reference the property's stated price, UPRN, and title tenure before completion so you have an independent data point alongside your solicitor's information.