What Documents Do You Need to Sell Your House in the UK?

Why Documents Matter When Selling

The conveyancing process in England and Wales is document-heavy. Your solicitor must investigate the title, raise enquiries with the buyer's solicitor, and satisfy the buyer's mortgage lender, all before exchange of contracts. Delays at this stage are overwhelmingly caused by missing paperwork.

Getting your documents in order before you go to market is one of the most effective things you can do to protect your sale.

Documents Your Solicitor Will Ask For

Title and Ownership

• Official copies of the title register and title plan, your solicitor will obtain these from HM Land Registry, but having your own copy helps you check the details
• Title deeds, for older properties not yet registered, or to support the registered title
• Any documents referred to in the title, deed of covenant, transfer of part, easements

Property Information Forms

Your solicitor will send you two standard Law Society forms to complete:

• TA6, Property Information Form, covers boundaries, disputes, notices, planning permissions, building works, services, and more. Answers must be accurate; incorrect answers can give a buyer grounds to rescind after exchange.
• TA10, Fittings and Contents Form, a detailed list of what is included in the sale. This is one of the most common sources of post-completion disputes.

If you are selling a leasehold property, you will also need a TA7, Leasehold Information Form.

Planning and Building Regulations

• Planning permissions for any extensions, outbuildings, or material changes of use
• Building regulations completion certificates for all notifiable works
• FENSA or CERTASS certificates for replacement windows and doors fitted since April 2002
• HETAS certificates for wood-burning stoves and solid fuel appliances
• Party wall awards if works were carried out near a shared boundary

Guarantees and Warranties

• Damp-proofing and timber treatment guarantees
• Roof guarantees
• NHBC Buildmark warranty (for newer properties)
• Any contractor guarantees for significant works

These are transferable to the buyer and can be a positive selling point.

Energy and Services

• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), legally required before marketing. Valid for 10 years.
• Boiler service records and Gas Safety certificate
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), increasingly requested by buyers and lenders
• Solar panel documentation, MCS certificate, Smart Export Guarantee agreement

Leasehold Properties

Allow 2–4 weeks for the managing agent to provide the leasehold pack, it is often the biggest cause of delay in leasehold sales.

Where to Find Missing Documents

If a document genuinely cannot be located, your solicitor will advise on whether indemnity insurance is appropriate.

How a Property Logbook Speeds Up Your Sale

The document-gathering stage of conveyancing typically takes two to four weeks. A property logbook eliminates this delay. When every certificate, guarantee, and permission has been uploaded from the moment work was carried out, you begin the sale with a complete document pack already assembled.

You can upload all of these documents to your Property Passport so they are ready for buyers, solicitors, and surveyors the moment you accept an offer. Your Property Passport stores each document against your property address, with the ability to share a secure link directly with your conveyancer.

A Pre-Market Document Checklist

• Title register and title plan
• Planning permissions for all works since purchase
• Building regs completion certificates for all notifiable works
• FENSA/CERTASS certificates for windows and doors
• HETAS certificate for any solid fuel appliance
• Boiler installation certificate and recent service records
• EPC (check it has not expired)
• Guarantees for damp-proofing, roof, double glazing
• Party wall award (if applicable)
• Leasehold management pack (if applicable, order early)