Paperwork you need when selling your home

As you would expect from a process of such importance, there is a considerable amount of paperwork involved with selling your home. A dependable estate agent will guide you through the process and what you need to do, but it is helpful for vendors to be as informed about the process as they can.

Some of the paperwork you need in selling your home will likely date back to the time you bought the property. It is advisable to keep essential documents in a safe and secure place. As you plan to sell your home, it is worthwhile collating essential documents that will speed up the process as the deal progresses.

Arrange your documents in advance if required

Also, if you are unable to find a document, you may be able to highlight this issue as early on as you can. Dealing with a problem as soon as possible allows you to resolve it quickly. It is best to minimise the issues that can arise when selling your home, and collating your paperwork and documents in advance can speed up the process, or remove the likelihood of some problems arising.

Any homeowner who has purchased their property in a relatively recent timeframe should have an Energy Performance Certificate or EPC. If you received this document within the past ten years and you haven’t undertaken significant redevelopment work at your property that would have altered the rating, you should be able to re-use your existing EPC.

There is an online EPC register where you can review the most recent EPC for your property. If you don’t have a valid EPC, you will need to commission one. However, if you live in a conservation area, or your home is a listed property, you may not need to obtain an EPC before selling your home.

Collect your documents ready for use

A quick checklist of some of the relevant documents it is useful to have when selling your home include:

·        HM Land Registry documents detailing the title details

·        Evidence of gas checks

·        Any electrical work certification for your property

·        Planning permission for significant work, if applicable

·        Certificates for your windows, if applicable

Depending on the history and condition of your property, there may be relevant documents about the condition or any work you have carried out to resolve these problems. If there is anything which indicates your property has had issues and that work has been carried out at your home, it is advisable to have these documents available to hand during the sales process.

As soon as you decide you wish to sell your home, you can instruct a legal professional to review the documents. You may think it is best to wait until there is a likely buyer in place for your property, but there is nothing wrong with being prepared in advance. If you have the time, taking specific steps in advance can speed up the sales process, saving time and effort later on.

Selling your house can be challenging, but it is possible to take the stress out of the situation. If you’re looking to sell your home, contact Hunters and we’ll be more than happy to assist you.

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