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If you are planning on selling your home, getting all of your paperwork in order upfront can help you avoid delays later on. We take a look at what you will need.

When selling your home, your solicitor will need to provide a wide range of documents to the buyer’s solicitor. Many of these can be put together in readiness before you accept an offer.

Identity documentation

Your estate agent and your solicitor are required by law to verify your identity. You will need to provide them with a photo identity document, either your passport or driving licence, as well as proof of your address, which could be your driving licence, a bank statement or a copy of a recent utility bill. If you are also buying a property and you will be obtaining a mortgage, your mortgage lender will also need to see your identity documentation.

We will usually also carry out an online check on your identity.

An Energy Performance Certificate

It is a legal requirement that you provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). These last for ten years, so there may already be one in existence for your home and you can check this on the government’s online database. If there is no EPC in place, you can ask an accredited energy assessor to inspect your property and provide a certificate ready for your sale.

Title deeds

Many titles are now held electronically on the Land Registry’s database. You may have copies however, and these can be passed to your solicitor so that they can order up to date certified copies from the Land Registry.

Leasehold information

If your property is leasehold, you will need to provide a range of information in respect of this, including a copy of the lease and a completed leasehold information form, which your solicitor can let you have. A substantial amount of paperwork needs to accompany the form, including details of the freeholder, management company details, copies of management company accounts, details of how much is held in a sinking fund for future repairs, the freeholder’s consent to any alterations and a copy of the buildings insurance.

Copies of planning consents and building regulations approval for any alterations

If alterations have been carried out at the property, the buyer’s solicitor will ask to see a copy of the planning permission and evidence that the work has been signed off by building inspectors to confirm that it complies with building regulations.

You will also need to provide a copy of any planning permissions referred to in the local search. These may be held with your title deeds as your solicitor will have requested copies at the time you purchased the property.

Newbuild guarantee

If your home is less than ten years old, then it is likely to have a newbuild warranty such as a National House Building Council (NHBC) warranty or similar cover provided by another insurer.

Other guarantees

You should provide copies of any other guarantees you hold, for example, in respect of new windows, damp proofing or a boiler guarantee.

If the electrical wiring has been extended or altered since January 2005, you will be required to provide a Part P Building Regulation Certificate which should have been provided by the electrician.

Property information and fixtures and fittings forms

Your solicitor will be able to let you have property information and fixtures and fittings forms to fill in ready for your buyer. This covers a range of information in respect of your home and lists the fixtures and fittings that you will be leaving. You can offer items for sale via the fixtures and fittings form if you wish.

Contact us

If you are thinking of selling a home please contact one of our Residential Property experts.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published.