UK · contractsSources checked
Does a contract to sell land have to be in writing in the UK?
Yes. Under section 2(1) of the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989, a contract for the sale or other disposition of an interest in land can only be made in writing, incorporating all the terms the parties have expressly agreed in one document, or in each document where contracts are exchanged. Section 2(3) requires signature by or on behalf of each party.
Sources
- Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989, section 2 (Contracts for sale etc. of land to be made by signed writing)legislation.gov.uk · checked 17 August 2026 · Latest available (Revised) version, with changes incorporated up to 17 August 2026.
Related questions
- Does a verbal agreement to sell land count?
- Section 2(1) says such a contract can only be made in writing, so an oral agreement does not satisfy the section.
- Do all the agreed terms have to be in one document?
- Yes. Section 2(1) requires all the expressly agreed terms in one document, or in each document where contracts are exchanged.
What this answer does not cover
- This page covers contracts for the sale or other disposition of an interest in land only. It does not state whether any other kind of contract must be in writing.
- Other statutes impose their own formality requirements on particular kinds of agreement, and are not surveyed here.
