What to Do When a Seller Withholds a Document
what to do when a seller withholds a document explained without jargon overload; Legal & Tenure; England and Wales; backlog index 119 of 1000.
Published: 21 Apr 2026 · Updated: 21 Apr 2026 · 8 min read
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Plain English
This guide answers: What to Do When a Seller Withholds a Document Treat it as a working note you can share with your conveyancer, lender, or surveyor so everyone checks the same facts.
Searches and surveys
Searches answer regulatory questions; surveys answer physical condition. Neither replaces the other.
Insurance and lending
Insurers and lenders sometimes care about different facts than buyers do. Flag anything that could affect cover or security.
Audit trail
Keep a short note of when you checked each source so you can explain your timeline to advisers.
Using Property Passport UK
Start from the address on [Property Search](/search). Owners can [claim the Property Passport](/claim/start) and upload Documents with clear dates and sources. Browse more explainers in the [Property Guides library](/guides). This article is general information, not legal, tax, mortgage, or survey advice.
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