Proof of ID for selling house is the first document you will need to provide! Whether you are trying to buy or sell, estate agents, mortgage lenders, and legal representatives are legally required by law to check your identity as a measure against money laundering. You will need to provide either a passport or driving license, as well as proof of address e.g. bank statement, a utility bill under 3 months old, or a driving license. 

Title deeds prove that you are the rightful owner of a property and when you originally purchased your property, your solicitor should have sent you them. If you don’t have a copy of them, you can check with your mortgage lender to see if they are holding the original copy or whether they are with your solicitor. 

The government decided that all properties should be registered with HM land registry in the 1980s, so in the event that you can’t locate your title deeds, you can request a copy for £3. 

However, it is worth noting that 15% of land and property in the UK is not registered with the HM Land Registry. If your property is part of this percentage then things may get a little tricky as you will have to prove you are the legal owner. This will mean you will have to apply for “first registration”. 

If you have purchased your property within the last 10 years, then you may already have a copy of your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) available. The government has a database of every EPC in the UK, where you will be able to look up yours to see if you have one. If you do not have an EPC, then you will need to acquire one before it is put on the market.  

If the property you are selling is leasehold, then you will need to locate the lease. It is up to your estate agent to then highlight how many years are left on the lease, as well as ground rent and service charges to be advertised when the property goes onto the market. 

The majority of mortgages available will not cover shorter leases, so if you have less than 80 years left on yours then this may slow your house sale. If you have only lived at your property for two years, then you may want to look into extending the lease. 

If you own a property that is under 10 years old or is a new build then you should have been provided with a copy of your BuildMark (NHBC) or other type of new home policy/warranty document. 

If since January 2005 you have extended or altered the wiring in your home, then by law you are required to obtain a certificate referred to as a ‘Part P Building Regulation Certificate’  that you can pass onto your solicitor.  This certificate will prove that any new electrical work that you have had done meets standards. If you cannot locate your certificate, then speak to the electrician who carried out the work. 

While you are not legally obligated to provide a gas safety certificate, it is a wise idea if you need to sell your home.  A gas safety certificate should be issued by a Gas Safe registered engineer and will show that your boiler is checked and safe. If you have a gas boiler on your property, then it is recommended that you have a gas safety certificate for your own safety. By having a gas safety certificate you are showing potential buyers that your boiler is safe and regularly maintained. 

If in the time that you have lived in your property, you have replaced any of your windows, then you will be required to give either a FENSA or CERTASS certificate. This certificate will prove that the windows comply with building regulations and are typically valid for up to 10 years. FENSA and CERTASS certificates are available from the perspective websites. If the installation of your new windows was not carried out by an approved workman, or if you cannot find the certificate on either the FENSA or CERTASS website, then you may want to pay for indemnity insurance in order to cover the new owner. 

If you have made any changes or alterations to the property, then you will need to show that you have obtained the proper consent and approvals. Building regulations, planning permission, and completion certificates will all need to be provided. As the seller, it is also your responsibility to give details of any building work or details that do not have the necessary consent and permissions, as well as any unfinished building and alteration work. 

If you are selling a listed property, then you will need to supply details surrounding any listed building consent obtained for any exterior or interior work.  

Unfortunately, no matter how much you love your property, no house is perfect. Warrenties and guarantees have to be taken out, and any potential buyers will need to know about this. Whether you have had damp, dry rot, Japanese knotweed or other issues, find copies of receipts or guarantees you may have for the work undertaken.

You will also need to provide your estate agent with all relevant material facts about your property. If you are unsure what is classed as material facts you should consult your estate agent, however, government guidance defines material facts that will have a major impact on the decision of the buyer to purchase your home. An example of this would be if your property regularly floods or is of non-standard construction. 

You will also need to provide information surrounding non-optional financial commitments such as council tax, leasehold charges, or rent charge costs. 

You should also provide any Party Wall Agreements for work that has been done that has impacted a shared wall with your neighbour as well as any insurance policies, such as indemnity insurance, and any details on restrictive covenants.