Ready to sell your home? Getting all your paperwork and documents in order is a crucial first step to streamline the process. Ensure you have everything ready before potential buyers come knocking. Read our guide which tells you exactly what the documents needed to sell a house in the UK are.
Why documentation is crucial for home selling
Not having the right documents can slow your house sale down. In the worst case, buyers may pull out entirely. However, if you’ve pulled together all the right papers everything will run like clockwork. A solicitor can help assemble what’s needed, but you can save money working on this yourself. So, what documents do you need to sell your home?
Documents needed to sell a house
Identity
- Proof of identity. Estate agents and solicitors must comply with money laundering rules, and will want you to prove who you are. Show them your passport, your driving licence, or your birth certificate, and have proof of address. You’ll also need to complete an ID1 form before the exchange of contracts occur on a property transaction.
- Title deeds. These prove you own the home you’re selling, and show its boundaries. Your solicitor or mortgage provider should be able to help you find the deeds you need. Alternatively, you can buy an ‘Official Copy Entry’ of your home’s title register and floor plans from the HM Land Registry website for £3.
- Management Information Pack. If your property is leasehold, or if you pay service charges, you might need a Management Information Pack from your solicitor. (sometimes called a Leasehold Information Pack). Arranging this can take time, so ask for this early.
Certificates
- EPC (Energy Performance Certificate). No dodging this one – it’s compulsory. It says how much energy your home uses, and what CO2 it emits. Your EPC should be less than ten years old. Your estate agent can help, or you can ask for an EPC here. In Scotland you’ll need a home report which must be less than 10 weeks old.
- Gas Safe Certificate. Not compulsory but highly recommended. Have an annual gas safety inspection carried out by a registered gas safety engineer. Again, do this as early as you can. Your conveyancer can help. You can get a replacement gas safe certificate from the Gas Safe Register.
- Boiler Safety Certificate. If you have a boiler, but no boiler safety certificate, your house sale won’t go ahead. You need a valid boiler safety certificate and a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate. This should show when the boiler was installed, and certifies it was installed properly, and meets all necessary regulations. Contact the Gas Safe Register if you need a replacement.
- Electrical Safety Certificate. You’ll need an electrical certificate to sell your house. It proves any electrical installation works done on your home followed current building regulations. If you don’t have one, see if your local authority has a copy, or ask a ‘Part P registered electrician’ to re-do the work, or call in a qualified electrician. You’ll want an Electrical Installation Condition Report, or EICR.
- FENSA or CERTASS Certificate. This covers any doors or windows you’ve added, and it’ll show the installation meets current building standards. The installer should have left you a certificate, or you can order replacements from the FENSA site. CERTASS is an alternative certification that focuses more on the whole building.
Information
- Property Information Form (TA6). This questionnaire gives your buyers essential information about your house. It can say who is responsible for hedges or fences. It can cover warranties you have on solar panels, or say where your meters are, and what parking you have. Download this from the Law Society’s website.
- Fittings and Contents Form (TA10). This says what’s included in the sale. It can cover garden sheds, furniture, ornaments, or even trees. Again, it’s available from the Law Society’s website.
- Property Searches. The buyer usually pays for these, but ordering them early can speed up your sale. The first is a local authority search which covers planning and pollution issues. The second covers environmental matters on areas like flooding or contaminated land. There’s also a ‘Water and Drainage’ search which asks the local water company who owns and maintains the property’s sewers and drains, etc. Your conveyancer can give you more information.
- Planning documents. Did you add a conservatory or a study to your home? Buyers need to know those alterations were carried out properly. Google ‘Planning Portal’ and your local authority’s name, and search for your address. Download the relevant documents, share them with your estate agent, and add them to your file.
- Other documents. Are floods common in your area, or is your home of non-standard construction? Does your home have a short lease, or are there restrictions on its use? List anything which could affect your home.
- If your home is less than 10 years old, include a copy of your Buildmark or any other warranty documents.
Finance
- Remaining Mortgage Details. Still paying your mortgage? You’ll need to list what you still owe. Any additional loans linked to your home should be outlined too. You must promise to pay off any outstanding loans to stop the buyer becoming liable
- Receipts. Find receipts or guarantees for any work you’ve had done. The same goes for any electrical goods or fixtures and fittings you’re leaving behind.
- Memorandum of Sale (MOS). This lists the acting conveyancers and says who is buying and selling. Your estate agent will usually prepare this, but once you accept an offer, ask them if they have all the information they need to complete the MOS. Don’t be afraid to badger them to speed up your sale.
Preparing and organising documents
Spend a few hours assembling a single folder holding every document your buyer might want. Keeping everything together can save you days of hassle.
You’ll want to keep these documents safe, but also have them easy to access. A ring binder or a box file can hold everything and you can label this ‘Home Sale Documents’ or similar.
Sort your documents into the above categories, such as ‘Finance’, ‘Property’ or ‘Certificates’, to help buyers find what’s needed. A fire safe can protect these vital documents.
Got a scanner? Store electronic copies of your documents on a hard drive or on the cloud, and share copies with potential buyers. If you want to learn more about how you can add value to your home, check our our helpful guide with our top tips, no matter the budget.
Summary
Having everything in place will make selling far smoother and enjoyable. Selling your home is stressful enough, but you can avoid any last-minute panic and scramble by having everything in place before you meet potential buyers. If you can, pull the paperwork together as soon as possible, so you have everything ready the moment prospective buyers come calling.
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