Selling your house may be a stressful process. Just a few things to think about when selling your home include choosing a reputable estate agent, freshening up your home, and setting up viewings.

Then there is the paperwork…

You must complete several pieces of paperwork if you want to sell your home. Some of them are quite simple, while others are a bit trickier.

We hear you ask, “But what is the right paperwork.” Here is a list of everything you will require:

Proof of your identity

First things first: to sell your home, you will need to provide some sort of identification to your solicitor as proof that you are who you claim to be. Typically, this consists of picture identification and evidence of your present residence, such as a recent utility bill (e.g. passport or driving license). Consult your lawyer or conveyancer in advance to see whether any other papers will be acceptable.

To comply with anti-money laundering regulations, you must provide this identification evidence. Under these standards, which mandate that they must maintain evidence for five years, estate agents, conveyancers, and solicitors all do their business. Do not worry about your data being stored on file indefinitely; the papers are deleted after this period.

Property title deeds

You must now provide evidence that the house you want to sell is genuinely yours. The title deeds to your property may or may not be in your possession; if not, do not worry; you can usually get a copy from the lawyer you hired when you first filed for a mortgage or purchased your house. This should not be an issue since your present lawyer will need to get formal documents from the Land Registry nonetheless.

However, the Land Registry is doubtful to have a copy of the deeds if your home has not been sold since 1990 when property registration in England and Wales became required (unless you voluntarily registered it). This implies that you will have to unearth such actions from your past. Get in contact with both of these parties as soon as you can to find out. In certain circumstances, they could be with your mortgage provider or even with your attorney.

You must request a “Title Absolute” from the Land Registry if you are unable to find the deeds at all. This entails demonstrating your rightful ownership of your residence, as well as your claim to the freehold and any buildings on the land. Additionally, you must demonstrate that you have owned the property for a continuous period of 15 years; if you are unable to do so, you should speak with the Land Registry as soon as possible for advice on your options.

Please keep in mind that establishing a “Title Absolute” takes a lot more time and paperwork, so you should apply for one well in advance of selling your home.

Shared freehold legal records

The necessary paperwork for the freehold structure will also be needed if your house still owns a portion of the freehold. In the same way, if your house is a leasehold, you will also need to complete a seller’s leasehold information form and possess a copy of the lease.

Obtaining any leasehold information may take a few days or weeks since it is mostly out of your control and depends on the managing agent or landlord operating well. To minimize any possible delays at this point, it is usually a good idea to notify the person in charge of leasehold information well in advance.

Energy Performance Certificate

When you sell your home, the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) must be disclosed. This report rates your home’s energy consumption from G (minimally efficient) to A and includes information on how much CO2 it produces (maximally efficient). You must get an EPC from a licensed assessor if you do not already have one that is older than ten years. Your estate agent can often make arrangements for this (read our guide to EPC costs here).

You will need a Home Report if you reside in Scotland, and it must have been written within the last 10 weeks to be approved. The only exceptions to this rule are either (a) if your property has been actively promoted since a valid one was last generated, or (b) if it is new construction or conversion that has not been occupied since it was constructed or converted.

Management information pack

You may also need to request a Management Information Pack if you pay any service fees or if your home is leasehold (also known as a Leasehold Information Pack). As with other areas of this procedure, expediency is a virtue, therefore it is good doing this as early as possible since it may sometimes take a long for them to be processed and sent out. You or your attorney can arrange for this via the freeholder or managing agent.

It could make sense to extend your leasehold if you have had it for more than two years since it might greatly raise the value of your home. Since landlords may charge more for the rise in value that an extension bestows upon the property, leaseholds with less than 80 years remaining on them may be valued substantially less than those with fewer than 85 years left (a marriage fee). Additionally, you should examine your mortgage since many of them will not cover shorter leaseholds.

Fittings and contents form

The TA10, or fittings and contents form, specifies everything that is included in the sale of your property, including outbuildings, furniture, and decorations. The garage, shed, plants, trees, and other inside goods you give along to sweeten the sale might all be included on this list. Knowing exactly what is included in the property price can help you and the prospective buyer avoid delays in the future and lower the likelihood of the buyer backing out.

Property information form

The property information form, or TA6, as it is commonly called, is a thorough examination of your house in its present configuration and condition. Make sure you have copies of all the papers listed since you must give any mentioned in this form. A Buildings Regulations approval or a Fensa Certificate for replacement windows may fall under this category. The following is covered under the TA6 form:

Limitations – Where the property lines are located, as well as who is in charge of maintaining any hedges and fences.

Complaints –  persistent disagreements with neighbors.

Proposals –  announcements about local developments going forward. Letters might come from your neighbors or the local government.

Planning –  this includes any remodeling and construction work that has been performed or is currently being done. For instance, adding additional windows to an addition.

Warranties – This includes any promises or warranties that are presently attached to the property, such as solar panels.

Insurance –  You should describe any inconsistencies and the approximate cost of your home’s insurance.

Environmental matters –  This includes your Energy Performance Certificate as well as any potential flooding threats.

Do you have a driveway or a garage for parking at your house? Everything relating to parking is covered in this section.

Services –  Take note of the state of your home’s services, such as the boiler, heating, and electrical wiring.

Occupiers –  Indicate if any renters are living on the property now and whether they plan to stay after the acquisition.

Connection to utilities –  This section describes where the water, electricity, and gas meters are located on your property.

Other charges –  If your house is leasehold, this pertains to leasing charges as well as additional expenses, including maintenance fees for flats or a gated community.

Transaction information – This part is for details on relocation dates, unique moving needs, and if you plan to buy another home.

Most of this information is given by local authorities, but as you may have guessed by now, it might take anything from 24 hours to a month to get it. To reduce delays, be as prompt and meticulous as you can on your end. This time should significantly reduce as more local agencies switch to automated searches.

Mortgage Information

Additionally, you will be asked for information on your present mortgage, including account information and the balance owed. Details of any other debts or levies linked to your house must also be provided.

Your title documents will often include a list of these fees. You must get in touch with the former mortgage provider if you still owe them money if this is the case.

You must sign an undertaking if there is any unpaid balance. In essence, you are promising to pay off the mortgage with the proceeds from the sale and to release the buyer from any mortgage-related obligations. Without the undertaking, the purchaser can be held accountable for the balance still owed on the property.

Acceptance of offer

Your lawyer or conveyancer will create a document declaring the acceptance of the offer after you and the buyer have reached a selling agreement.

Additionally, a Transfer of Deeds must be signed before the sale’s conclusion. Your legal counsel will also be involved in this, and you and the buyer will need to exchange contracts. The contract will include the purchase price, the time and day the transaction will close, and any legal limitations.

The sale becomes enforceable after the contracts have indeed been exchanged and signed. This implies that monetary compensation will probably need to be paid if one side withdraws. It also implies that you can now officially sell your house since you have completed the potentially tedious paperwork. Well done—that is no small achievement!

Finally, if your property is worth more than a specific amount, you could additionally need proof of stamp duty from your lawyer. This often occurs 30 days or less after the completion date.

To stay informed about the completion of the home transaction throughout this period, it is best to stay in touch with your conveyancer or solicitor. If all goes well, you have now sold everything, and we wish you success as you make your next step.

If you’re looking to sell or let your home with a Lee On the Solent Estate Agent, Stubbington Estate Agent, Gosport Estate Agent, Fareham Estate Agent, Portsmouth Estate Agent then please do no hesitate to email on info@gshomes.co.uk or call on 023 93 960 169.