Key takeaways
- →A commitment letter marks conditional approval, not closing — the file still needs its conditions cleared before instruction can be sent.
- →Solicitor instruction is the formal handoff from lender to lawyer or notary, and it kicks off the title and closing document work.
- →Funding day depends on the lawyer or notary confirming everything is in order before the lender releases funds, which is why last-minute condition issues put the closing date itself at risk.
Getting a commitment letter feels like the deal is done, but it's really the start of the final, most detail-sensitive stage of a mortgage file. Between commitment and the day funds actually move, a lawyer or notary, a lender, and a broker all have distinct roles to play, and a gap in any one of them can put a closing date at risk.
This is what happens in that final stretch — from clearing the last conditions, through solicitor instruction and title, to what actually happens on funding day itself.
01 · What happens immediately after a file is conditionally approved?
A conditional approval lists exactly what still needs to be satisfied before the lender will fund — commonly a satisfied appraisal, updated income confirmation, or proof of down payment source. Each condition needs to be tracked individually and confirmed with the lender as it's satisfied, rather than assumed complete once the document is sent.
This is the stage where a missed or slow-moving condition most commonly threatens a closing date, because everything downstream — instruction, title work, funding — depends on conditions being fully cleared first.
02 · What is solicitor instruction, and what does it require?
Solicitor instruction is the formal package a lender sends to the borrower's lawyer or notary once conditions are cleared, setting out the mortgage terms and what the lawyer or notary needs to confirm and prepare before closing. It's the handoff point where responsibility for the file's final steps shifts from the lender's underwriting team to the legal side of the transaction.
Instructions typically need to reach the lawyer or notary with enough lead time before the scheduled closing date for them to complete their own review — a late instruction compresses that timeline and increases the risk of a delay.
Nothing slips between commitment and close
Every condition tracked until the file is actually funded.
Treadstone's fulfillment associates track conditions, instruction timing, and closing coordination on every file, so a closing date doesn't depend on memory.
03 · What does the lawyer or notary check before closing?
The lawyer or notary confirms clear title to the property, prepares the mortgage and closing documents, coordinates signing with the client, and handles the registration of the mortgage against the property. This is provincially governed work, and the specific documents and process vary by province's land registration system.
This stage is one of the most common places a file that's otherwise ready still hits a snag — see our related piece on what typically delays a closing for the recurring patterns.
04 · What happens on funding day itself?
Once the lawyer or notary confirms title, signing, and registration are complete, they notify the lender, and the lender releases funds — typically transferred to the lawyer or notary's trust account first, then disbursed as part of closing. This is why a delay anywhere upstream, even a small one, can push the actual funding moment later than the closing date on the purchase agreement.
Keeping every upstream condition and instruction step moving on schedule is exactly what a fulfillment team tracks across a broker's full pipeline, so funding day arrives without a last-minute scramble.
Frequently asked questions
This article is general information to help you scale — not a substitute for tailored advice on your specific business, licensing, or compliance obligations. All figures are illustrative examples for planning purposes; actual costs vary by province, market, and brokerage.