Who Does What? The Truth About Roles in a Property Sale — And Why Confusion Is Killing Chains
Buyers and sellers often rely on their estate agent for updates that should come from solicitors or mortgage brokers. Here’s the clear breakdown of who is responsible for what, and why understanding these roles is the key to a smooth, successful sale.
Who’s Actually Responsible in Your Property Sale? A Hard-Hitting Guide Every Buyer and Seller Needs
Selling or buying a home is emotional, stressful and often overwhelming, and when people feel overwhelmed, they turn to the person they trust most: the estate agent.
At M&P Estates, we’re proud to be that trusted point of contact. But here’s the truth that most homeowners don’t realise: your agent is not the legal expert, not the mortgage specialist, and not the party responsible for progressing legal work.
Too often, delays happen not because any party is slacking, but because clients simply don’t understand who should be doing what. And that lack of clarity is where chains collapse, completion dates drift, and frustration rises.
So let’s fix that.
The Estate Agent’s Role Your Facilitator, Not Your Solicitor
The estate agent is the communicator, the coordinator, and the deal-maker.
We are responsible for:
- Agreeing the sale
- Qualifying the buyer’s finances
- Confirming ID & AML checks
- Issuing the memorandum of sale
- Chasing all parties for updates
- Helping negotiate any bumps along the way
- Keeping everyone talking so the chain doesn’t fall apart
What we cannot do:
- Give legal advice
- Review contracts or title documents
- Give updates on searches or enquiries that only solicitors can access
- Influence mortgage underwriting decisions
Yet every day, buyers and sellers ask us questions that only their solicitor or broker can answer. Not because they’re difficult, but because they don’t know the difference.
The Mortgage Broker’s Role — The Finance Specialist
Your mortgage broker is the engine room of your affordability. Their job is to secure the right mortgage product and make sure your lender is satisfied with your situation.
They are responsible for:
- Submitting your mortgage application
- Providing your lender with documents
- Managing underwriting queries
- Ordering the mortgage valuation
- Advising you on products, rates, and terms
What they cannot do:
- Give legal updates on the sale
- Progress the conveyancing
- Deal with issues arising in the title or lease
If your mortgage offer is delayed, calling your estate agent won’t speed it up — your broker will.
The Solicitor’s Role — The Legal Backbone of the Entire Transaction
This is the part most people misunderstand. Your solicitor is not a background character, they are the person who legally moves the sale forward.
They are responsible for:
- Drafting or reviewing the contract
- Raising and responding to enquiries
- Reviewing searches
- Managing exchange and completion
- Transferring funds
- Protecting you legally from risk
What they cannot do:
- Update you if you don’t respond to their emails
- Chase every other party in the transaction (that’s the agent’s job)
- Make decisions on your behalf
Your solicitor controls the legal pace of your transaction. Your estate agent cannot legally answer questions about enquiries or contract clauses, that would be negligent and irresponsible.
Why Confusion Happens — And Why It Damages Chains
Clients often assume the estate agent sees everything behind the scenes.
We don’t. We aren’t copied into legal emails. We don’t see the mortgage documents. We don’t have access to search results.
When you ask an estate agent for legal updates, you’re asking the wrong person, and the delay created by checking, chasing, and redirecting slows everything down.
The most efficient transactions are always the ones where each professional delivers their part, and the client understands who to contact for what.
Final Thought: The Smoothest Sales Come From Educated Sellers and Buyers
A sale succeeds when everyone stays in their lane, with the estate agent coordinating, the solicitor progressing the legal work, and the mortgage broker securing the finance.
If you want a team that not only manages your sale but educates you through the process, M&P Estates is here to guide you with clarity, transparency, and confidence.
If you’re selling in South Ockendon and want a team who will keep your sale on track, and explain every step in plain English contact MP Estates today.
We’ll tell you exactly who does what, when they do it, and how to get your sale over the line without unnecessary stress.
