A guidance document outlining recommendations on what might constitute unnecessary enquiries has been updated in the wake of a finalised sixth edition of the TA6 Property Information Form. The TA6 which formally replaces the existing fourth and fifth editions on 30th March 2026.
Guidance for Raising Appropriate Conveyancing Enquiries, otherwise known as the acronym GRACE, was compiled by Vicki Redman of Swiitch (working with conveyancers from other firms) and the Bold Legal Group and launched at the Bold Legal Group Conference last June. At the time, the authors explained its publication was in response to what they described as ‘wholly inappropriate’ enquiries.
Around 35 firms and individual conveyancers from large, high street and sole practitioners contributed to the original guidance, which was also shared with some of the biggest industry stakeholders and groups.
An annual survey of attitudes toward pre-contract enquiries by Today’s Conveyancer has consistently found a perceived lack of expertise and training to be the largest contributory factor in the number of unnecessary enquiries raised. In 2023 86% of survey respondents said a lack of training and experience was a contributing factor to increases in the volume of enquiries. In 2024, 82% said it was either an ‘important’ or ‘very important’ factor; in 2025 it was 85%.
Bold Legal Group founder Rob Hailstone and Redman said GRACE has been well received and is now being used and referred to widely. The document provides guidance on determining whether or not an enquiry is appropriate, raising awareness of the issues and establishing best practice.
Redman explained:
“Since we launched GRACE at the BLG conference last year, hundreds of conveyancers across the country have downloaded it and the feedback has been great. We held off releasing a version two until the new TA6 was launched, so now that’s in place we have drafted a new and improved version of the GRACE guidance.
“We are looking for this to be adopted more widely across the profession, and looking for feedback, views and suggestions from conveyancers to make this document as good as it can be, and to make it a really usable resource.
“By sharing the views and wisdom of real conveyancers, doing the day job – for free – we hope that this can lead to more cooperation between conveyancers and firms, and that by collaborating together we can work to reduce transaction times.”
GRACE is split into two sections:
- Category A enquiries are those that should not be raised on any standard residential conveyancing transaction, where the Law Society Conveyancing Protocol and/or the Conveyancing Association Technical Protocol is being used.
- Category B enquiries are those that should be avoided on most standard residential conveyancing transactions, where the Law Society Conveyancing Protocol and/or the Conveyancing Association Technical Protocol is being used.
Examples provided in Category A include enquiries relating to identity, charges and property condition. The guidance not only uses real life enquiries raised by conveyancers, but identifies the relevant regulation that may already make a requirement of the enquiry, or suggests where the information could be located for retrieval.
For example:
Please confirm you have carried out the appropriate ID checks for the Seller and satisfied yourselves that you are instructed by the registered Proprietor – a requirement covered under the CQS Protocol (verify the Identity of the Seller (Step 3)) and for CLC firms using the Conveyancing Association ‘Conveyancers Code for Completion,’ which includes similar obligations.
Please confirm where the Seller removes any fittings or fixtures that they will make good any damage caused – This is a duplicate of a question in TA10.
Has the Seller experienced any problems with damp, subsidence, heave, structural movement or cracks, structural defects, contamination, drainage problems, fungoid or insect infestation, low water pressure, animal infestation including nesting birds and small animals (eg rats/mice)? – Enquiries relating to the state or condition of repair/maintenance of property are non-CQS compliant and rebut the ‘caveat emptor’ principle. They should not be raised, and not answered on a sale. It is the Buyers responsibility to identify these issues by having their own survey carried out and any relevant searches, and therefore these types of enquiry should not be raised even if you are following it up after something is revealed in your search. Conveyancers may want to remind clients to instruct a surveyor or other relevant expert, and arrange an inspection/survey at their own cost prior to exchange.
Category B enquiries are those that should be avoided on a standard residential conveyancing transaction, where the Law Society Conveyancing Protocol is being used as they will often be covered by the TA protocol forms and/or in the Standard Conditions of Sale.
Examples include:
Please advise as to all building works done since the property was constructed. – Not CQS compliant and this question was specifically mentioned as unnecessary in the Law Society CQS Training Update 2022 course. Building Works are referred to in TA6, and of course many sellers may not have information about works done by previous owners (especially in older properties) so you are likely to receive a not known response. Please also consider Conveyancing Association Technical Protocol 4.0
Please provide EPC for the property – Please obtain the latest up to date EPC online at Find an energy certificate – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Here is no obligation on a seller to update the EPC if works have been carried out. This is public information so there is no need to raise an enquiry which can actually take longer. This was also referred specifically as an “inappropriate enquiry” by the Law Society in their CQS Training Update 2024 course. Conveyancing Association Technical Protocol does not require an EPC to be supplied by a Sellers’ Conveyancer.
An addendum and useful links page is included to point the conveyancer in the direction of online resources including the Listed Building Registers in England and Wales, Gas Safety Records, FENSA Database, High-rise Building Register. An updated enquiries workflow is also included.
Calling on conveyancers to continue to provide feedback and support for the endeavour, Hailstone said:
“The amount of time, effort, and sheer determination that Vicki has put into developing GRACE is immense. Please don’t let all that go to waste. Please take a look at version 2 and if you don’t want to use it tell us why? Enquiries are one of a conveyancer’s biggest bugbears at the moment. Let’s try to at least reduce the negative effect that they have on them and transaction times.”
To share feedback contact rh@boldgroup.co.uk.
One Response
Fabulous! Well done Vicki!