Selling property in Tasmania: costs and why there's no vendor statement to prepare
If you have sold in Victoria or New South Wales before, you will expect to prepare a formal disclosure statement before the property goes on the market. In Tasmania, there is nothing equivalent to prepare. The No mandatory vendor disclosure statement (buyer beware) means your legal obligations as a seller are lighter, but that does not make selling risk-free, and it changes what your conveyancer's work actually looks like. This guide covers what you are (and are not) required to disclose, who does the work, what selling costs, and settlement from the vendor's side.
This guide provides general information only. It is not legal advice. For advice specific to your sale, engage a licensed Tasmanian conveyancer or property lawyer.
The seller's side of a Tasmanian sale
A Tasmanian sale is lighter on the seller's legal obligations than a Victorian or NSW one, but lighter obligations mean more of the transaction is negotiated and inspected rather than disclosed by law. In broad order, selling in Tasmania runs: appoint an estate agent and a conveyancer or solicitor; agree the contract terms, including whether a cooling-off clause will be offered; market the property; accept an offer; pass through any cooling-off window if one was included; and complete settlement, when the price is paid and title transfers out of your name.
What you are not required to disclose
Under the Property Agents and Land Transactions Act 2016 (Tas), there is no requirement for a Tasmanian seller to give buyers a prescribed disclosure statement, and no requirement to disclose defects in the quality of the property for sale. This is confirmed directly by Consumer, Building and Occupational Services Tasmania (CBOS), which describes the position as "buyer beware." Properties are commonly sold on an "as is where is" basis, and unless your contract contains a special provision, you have no contractual obligation to deliver the property in any particular condition other than the state it was in at the time of the buyer's pre-contract inspection.
A Tasmanian Land Valuers Act and separate valuer regulation exist, but neither creates a seller disclosure obligation about the property's physical condition, title issues, or permits. A buyer who wants that information has to go and get it themselves, typically through a title search and a council Land Information Certificate (337 Certificate), which is why the absence of a disclosure regime is covered from the buyer's side in the buyer beware in Tasmania guide.
The risk in what you do say
Not being required to disclose is not the same as being free to misrepresent. If you or your agent volunteer information about the property, in a listing, in writing, or verbally, that turns out to be false, you can still be exposed to a misrepresentation or misleading conduct claim under general consumer protection and contract law, separate from the specific disclosure regime that simply does not exist in Tasmania. The safest practice, and the one your conveyancer will usually advise, is to say only what you are confident is accurate, and to leave a buyer's specific questions about condition, permits or history to their own inspection and searches rather than answering informally.
Estate agent versus conveyancer: who does what
Two professionals are usually involved on the seller's side, and they do different jobs:
- The estate agent markets the property, conducts inspections and the auction or private-sale negotiation, and holds the deposit in trust. An agent does not prepare contract documents and cannot give you legal advice. CBOS notes it is illegal for real estate agents to give financial advice.
- Your conveyancer or solicitor prepares the contract of sale, negotiates whether a cooling-off clause will be offered, responds to searches or questions the buyer's side raises, liaises with your lender to discharge a mortgage, and completes settlement. A licensed conveyancer handles a standard sale; a solicitor is worth using where the matter has a legal complication (a deceased estate, a dispute, a trust or company structure).
If you are still weighing which professional to use, our conveyancer versus solicitor guide explains the difference.
Seller conveyancing costs in Tasmania
A seller's costs in Tasmania look different from a buyer's, and, because there is no disclosure statement to assemble, a Tasmanian seller's conveyancing work is often lighter than a Victorian seller's. A real, currently operating Hobart firm's own published pricing (Tas Conveyancing) quotes a flat $1,800 (GST inclusive) plus disbursements for a sale, against $2,000 for a purchase, reflecting that lighter workload. The main items are:
| Cost item | Typical treatment | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Conveyancer or solicitor professional fee | About $500 to $2,200 (market estimate); a real Hobart firm quotes $1,800 (incl. GST) for a sale | Your conveyancer or solicitor |
| Disbursements | About $400 (market estimate) for any searches or certificates your conveyancer arranges | Third parties, via your conveyancer |
| Mortgage discharge fee | Charged only if a loan is registered on the property | Your lender |
| Estate agent commission | Usually the largest selling cost; negotiated as a percentage of the sale price | Your estate agent |
| Property transfer duty | Not payable by the seller (a buyer cost) | n/a |
The professional-fee range is a market estimate for a standard residential matter (OpenAgent and Tas Conveyancing, 2026), not an official schedule. Disbursement amounts vary. Agent commission is set by your agency agreement, not by law. Any capital gains tax is a separate federal matter for your accountant. The full buyer-and-seller cost picture, with the duty and registry figures, is in the conveyancing cost Tasmania guide.
Do sellers pay stamp duty in Tasmania? No
Property transfer duty (Tasmania's name for stamp duty) is paid by the buyer, not the seller, on a standard residential sale. It is assessed by the State Revenue Office Tasmania on the buyer's purchase and is usually their single largest cost, but it is not a seller expense. If you are curious how much your buyer will pay, or you are selling one home to buy another, the stamp duty Tasmania guide sets out the rate scale and a calculator.
Discharging your mortgage
If a loan is registered against the property, it must be discharged at settlement so the buyer takes clear title. Once you have a signed contract, tell your lender you are selling and request a discharge of mortgage; lenders typically ask for several weeks' notice and charge a discharge or administration fee. Your conveyancer coordinates the timing so the lender is ready to release its security at the same moment the buyer's funds arrive. The loan balance is paid out of the sale proceeds before the remaining funds reach you.
Settlement day for the seller
On settlement day, whether it completes electronically or in person, both conveyancers confirm the agreed figures. The buyer's funds are transferred, your mortgage (if any) is discharged from those funds, agent commission and your conveyancing costs are accounted for, and the net proceeds are paid to you. The transfer of title is lodged with the Land Titles Office, moving ownership to the buyer. Once settlement confirms, your agent releases the keys. You should have vacated and removed your belongings by the settlement time set in the contract, because the buyer is entitled to possession as soon as settlement completes. Afterwards, the Land Titles Office registers the transfer, the title updates to show the new owner, and your conveyancer provides a settlement statement showing how the proceeds were applied.
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Conveyancing Explained provides general information about property transactions in Australia. It is not legal advice and does not create a client relationship. For advice on your situation, engage a licensed conveyancer, settlement agent, or property solicitor in your state or territory.