{"id":474,"date":"2026-09-08T05:03:46","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T05:03:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yopa.co.uk\/homeowners-hub\/?p=474"},"modified":"2026-09-08T14:08:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T14:08:09","slug":"documents-needed-for-house-sale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dy36.stage.yopa-dev.co.uk\/homeowners-hub\/documents-needed-for-house-sale\/","title":{"rendered":"What Documents Do You Need to Sell Your House?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Selling your\nhome can be an overwhelming experience. Finding a good estate agent, sprucing\nup your property and organising viewings are just a few aspects that need to be\nconsidered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then\nthere\u2019s the paperwork\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re\nplanning on selling your property, you\u2019ll need to complete several documents.\nSome of these are fairly straightforward and some are a little more complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut what are\nthe correct documents?\u201d we hear you cry. Well, here is a guide to everything\nyou will need:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Proof of your identity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Basics first:\nto sell your house, you\u2019ll need to provide your solicitor with some form of ID\nto show you are who you say you are. This is usually proof of your current\naddress, such as a recent utility bill, plus photo identification (e.g. passport\nor driving license). Other documents may be accepted, so check with your\nsolicitor or conveyancer beforehand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This proof of\nidentity is needed to satisfy anti-money laundering laws. Solicitors,\nconveyancers and estate agents all operate under these rules, which state that\nthey are required to hold evidence for five years. The documents are destroyed\nafter this time, so don\u2019t worry about your data being on file forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Property title deeds<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now you need to\nprove you actually own the home you would like to sell. You may or may not have\nthe title deeds for your property; if you can\u2019t find them, don\u2019t fret as you\u2019ll\nprobably be able to obtain a copy from the solicitor you used when you\ninitially applied for a mortgage or bought your home. Furthermore, your current\nsolicitor will need to obtain official deeds from the Land Registry<\/a> anyway, so this shouldn\u2019t prove a\nproblem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if\nyour property hasn\u2019t been sold since 1990 \u2013 when property registration became compulsory in England and\nWales \u2013 the Land Registry is unlikely to have a copy of the deeds (unless you\nvoluntarily registered it). This means you will have to dig out those deeds\nfrom your side. In some cases, they may be with your mortgage provider, or\npossibly with your solicitor \u2013 so get in touch with both of these parties to\nfind out as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you can\u2019t locate the deeds at all, you will have to apply for a \u2018Title Absolute<\/a>\u2019 from the Land Registry. This involves proving that you are the legal owner of your home and that you have a right to the freehold and the structures on the property. You will also need to show that you\u2019ve had possession for an unbroken period of 15 years. If you can\u2019t prove this, then you may want to contact the Land Registry sooner rather than later for help on next steps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please bear in\nmind that a \u2018Title Absolute\u2019 requires a lot more time and admin to establish,\nso you\u2019ll need to apply for it well in advance of selling your property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more\ninformation about selling a property without the title deeds, see our article Can you sell a house without the deeds?<\/em><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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\n Instant online valuation<\/span> <\/div>\n
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Get a rough estimate of your home's value now.<\/p> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n

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Book an appointment with your local Yopa agent.<\/p> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

Shared freehold documentation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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If your home retains a share of the freehold<\/a>, the relevant documentation related to the freehold structure will be required as well. Likewise, if your home is leasehold<\/a>, you\u2019ll need to have a copy of the lease and fill in a seller\u2019s leasehold information form too.
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You should allow several weeks to get any leasehold information since its retrieval is somewhat out of your hands and dependent on the managing agent or landlord working efficiently. It\u2019s therefore always a good idea to inform the person responsible for leasehold information well in advance to avoid any potential hold-ups at this stage.
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Energy Performance Certificate<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) needs to be included when you sell your property. This document is an assessment of the energy use of your home and its CO2 impact, complete with a rating of G (minimally efficient) to A (maximally efficient). If you don\u2019t have an EPC dated within the last 10 years, you\u2019ll need to acquire one from a qualified assessor. This can usually be arranged via your estate agent (read our guide to EPC costs here<\/a>).

If you\u2019re in Scotland, you\u2019ll require a Home Report<\/a>, which needs to be no more than 12 weeks old when the property is first put on the market. However, a property can be taken off the market for up to 28 days without requiring a new report. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Management information pack<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you pay any service charges or if your property is leasehold, then you may need to send off for a Management Information Pack too (also known as a Leasehold Information Pack). You or your solicitor can arrange for this via the freeholder or managing agent; but, as with most aspects of this process, expedience is a virtue \u2013 and it\u2019s worth doing this as early as possible, as it can sometimes take a while for them to be processed and sent out.

If may also pay to extend your lease<\/a> since this could significantly increase the value of the property and make your property more straightforward to sell. For more information on selling a leasehold property, check out our article The simple guide to selling a leasehold property<\/a>.<\/em>
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Fittings and contents form<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The fittings and contents form, otherwise known as a TA10<\/a>, details exactly what is included in the sale of your home \u2013 from outbuildings, to furniture, to ornaments. Items on this list may include the garage, shed, plants, trees, and any indoor items you throw in to sweeten the deal. Both you and the potential buyer should know precisely what is included in the property price as this will prevent delays further down the line, and reduce the risk of the buyer pulling out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Property information form<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The property information form, or TA6<\/a> as it\u2019s also known, takes a comprehensive, closer look at your home in its current form and status. Any documents noted in this form need to be provided, so ensure you have copies of everything on the list. The TA6 form covers the following areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n