Requisitions on Title Explained: A Guide for NSW Buyers

When you buy property in NSW, your solicitor or conveyancer will deal with requisitions on title. They sound technical, but the idea is simple.

Requisitions are formal questions and requests the buyer makes to the seller about the property’s title and settlement. This guide explains what they are, how they work under the standard NSW contract, and why they can’t replace your own checks before exchange.

Updated October 2026 to reflect current law.

At a glance

• Requisitions on title are formal questions to the seller, mostly about title and what happens at settlement.
• Under the standard NSW contract, if a requisitions form is attached, you are taken to have made those requisitions.
• Any other requisition generally has to be made within 21 days of the contract date.
• Requisitions are not a second chance to check the property. Do your inspections and searches before you exchange.
• Some contracts include special conditions that limit requisitions further. Have the contract reviewed before you sign.

What are requisitions on title?

Title means the legal ownership of the property, as recorded on the land register. A requisition is a formal request or question.

So requisitions on title are questions and requests the buyer makes to the seller, after exchange, to make sure settlement goes smoothly. They help confirm that:

• the seller can transfer the property to you;
• any mortgage, caveat or other dealing that must be removed will be cleared at settlement;
• the right documents and keys will be handed over; and
• rates, land tax and other amounts are adjusted correctly.

How requisitions on title work under the NSW contract

Most NSW residential sales use the Law Society and REINSW standard Contract for the sale and purchase of land. Clause 5 of that contract deals with requisitions. In short:

• The form is usually attached. If a form of requisitions is attached to the contract, you are taken to have made those requisitions.
• Time limits apply to anything else. A general question about the property or title, or one arising out of the contract, must be made within 21 days after the contract date. Questions arising from a document the seller serves later have their own 21-day limit.
• The seller answers before settlement. The seller’s solicitor or conveyancer usually replies in writing, often close to settlement.

The seller’s answers are often brief. For many questions, the answer is that the buyer must rely on their own enquiries. Unless the contract says otherwise, the answers are not a promise about the property’s condition.

Under the standard contract, the seller can also cancel (rescind) the contract if, on reasonable grounds, it is unable or unwilling to comply with a requisition. That’s rare, but it’s another reason to raise concerns early.

Types of requisitions

Requisitions are often grouped into four types:

Can the seller limit requisitions on title?

Yes. The seller’s lawyer can add special conditions to the contract. Some special conditions limit your requisitions to the attached form, shorten the time to make them, or say you can’t raise anything else.

These conditions are designed to stop long arguments after exchange. They also reinforce a basic rule: the seller only has to disclose what the contract and the law require, such as the documents prescribed by the Conveyancing (Sale of Land) Regulation 2022.

That’s why it pays to have your solicitor or conveyancer read the special conditions before you exchange. Once you’re bound, it’s usually too late to change them.

What requisitions can’t do for you

Many buyers expect requisitions to uncover problems. In practice, they rarely do. Requisitions won’t usually:

• let you out of the contract because of the property’s physical condition;
• make the seller fix defects, unless the contract or the law requires it;
• give you a remedy for something you could have checked before exchange; or
• make the seller responsible for what the agent told you.

Most NSW contracts say you have relied on your own enquiries and inspections, not on statements by the seller or agent. If you find a problem after exchange, you may have no right to demand answers or a fix, unless it goes to title, breaches a promise in the contract, or a law gives you a right.

Problems with title itself can be different. Our guide to title defects in NSW explains what can go wrong.

How to protect yourself before you exchange

Because requisitions are so limited, the real work happens before you sign. As a careful buyer, you should:

1. Get the contract reviewed by a solicitor or conveyancer, including the special conditions.
2. Order a building and pest inspection. Read why in our guide to building inspections.
3. Order a strata report if you’re buying a unit or townhouse.
4. Check council records and the planning certificate in the contract.
5. Check any pool, including its compliance certificate. See our guide to buying a property with a swimming pool.
6. Ask your questions in writing and check the answers independently.

If you’re buying by private treaty, your cooling-off period gives you a short window to finish these checks. The NSW Government also explains what to check on its contracts and deposits page.

Frequently asked questions

When are requisitions on title made?

Under the standard contract, the attached requisitions are taken to be made at exchange. Other general requisitions must usually be made within 21 days after the contract date.

Who answers requisitions on title?

The seller’s solicitor or conveyancer answers them in writing, usually before settlement.

Can I pull out of the contract because of the seller’s answers?

Usually not. Requisitions don’t give you a general right to cancel. Get advice straight away if an answer reveals a real problem with title.

Are the seller’s answers a guarantee?

Generally no. Many answers simply say the buyer must rely on their own enquiries. Don’t treat them as a promise about the property.

Need help buying property in NSW?

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This article is general information only and is not legal advice. It reflects NSW law at the date of publication. Please contact us for advice about your circumstances.