Documents Needed to Sell a House in the UK

Every property sale in England and Wales requires a set of legal documents that prove you own the property, describe its condition, and confirm that any building work carried out on it was done lawfully. If these documents are missing or incomplete, the buyer's solicitor will raise enquiries, the buyer's mortgage lender may refuse to lend, and your sale can stall for weeks or even collapse entirely.

This guide is a comprehensive checklist of every document you are likely to need when selling a house or flat in England and Wales. For each document, we explain what it is, why the buyer needs it, where to get it, and what to do if you cannot find it.

Master checklist: documents needed to sell a house

The table below is your master reference. Below it, each document is explained in detail with guidance on where to obtain it and what happens if it is missing.

Title deeds and Land Registry documents

Your title deeds prove that you own the property. For registered properties (the vast majority in England and Wales), HM Land Registry holds digital records of ownership. Your solicitor will obtain official copies of the title register (which shows the owner, any mortgages, and any restrictions) and the title plan (which shows the property boundaries) from the Land Registry portal. Each costs three pounds to download.

If you hold original paper title deeds, these may be stored with your mortgage lender or your solicitor from when you purchased the property. For unregistered property — which is increasingly rare — you will need to provide the original deeds and your solicitor will arrange first registration with the Land Registry as part of the sale. HM Land Registry provides full guidance on obtaining title documents at gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

An Energy Performance Certificate is a legal requirement for selling any property in England and Wales. Under the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, you must have a valid EPC before you market the property and must make it available to prospective buyers free of charge.

An EPC rates the energy efficiency of your property on a scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is valid for ten years. If yours has expired or you have never had one, you need to book an assessment with an accredited domestic energy assessor. This typically costs between sixty and one hundred and twenty pounds and can usually be arranged within one to two days. Use our free EPC checker to look up your current rating and find out what it means for your sale.

TA6 Property Information Form

The TA6 Property Information Form is one of the most important documents in any property sale. It is published by the Law Society of England and Wales and is completed by you, the seller. The form covers:

• Boundaries and boundary disputes
• Complaints, disputes, and notices
• Alterations, planning permissions, and building regulations
• Guarantees and warranties
• Insurance
• Environmental matters (flooding, contamination, radon)
• Rights and informal arrangements
• Parking, utilities, and services
• Occupiers and transactions

The buyer's solicitor will scrutinise your TA6 answers closely. If any responses are incomplete, inconsistent, or raise concerns, they will raise additional enquiries that add time to the transaction. Answering the TA6 thoroughly and honestly from the outset is one of the most effective ways to prevent delays. Under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, sellers have a legal obligation not to mislead buyers about the condition of the property.

TA10 Fittings and Contents Form

The TA10 Fittings and Contents Form sets out exactly what is included in the sale, what will be removed, and what is available to purchase separately. It covers every room in the property and includes items such as:

• Carpets, curtains, and blinds
• Light fittings and switches
• Kitchen appliances (built-in and freestanding)
• Bathroom fittings and mirrors
• Garden sheds, plants, and ornaments
• TV aerials, satellite dishes, and smart home devices

Disputes over what is included in a property sale are more common than most sellers realise. Completing the TA10 clearly and precisely at the start of the process avoids misunderstandings that can lead to renegotiation or even a collapsed sale.

TA7 Leasehold Information Form (leasehold only)

If you are selling a leasehold property, you must complete the TA7 in addition to the TA6 and TA10. The leasehold information form covers the terms of your lease, including ground rent, service charges, building insurance, the managing agent, and any planned major works. Most of the information required comes from your lease document and the leasehold management pack rather than from your own knowledge. You will also need a leasehold management pack (based on the LPE1 form published by the Law Society), which your managing agent or freeholder prepares at a typical cost of two hundred to five hundred pounds plus VAT.

Proof of identity

Your solicitor is required by anti-money laundering regulations to verify your identity before acting on your behalf. You will typically need to provide:

• Photo ID — a valid passport or UK driving licence
• Proof of address — a recent utility bill, bank statement, or council tax bill dated within the last three months

Some solicitors accept digital verification through identity checking services, which can speed up the process. Make sure your documents are current — expired ID will not be accepted.

Mortgage details and redemption statement

If your property is mortgaged, your solicitor will need your mortgage lender's details and a redemption statement showing the exact amount required to pay off your mortgage on completion day. The redemption figure includes any early repayment charges, outstanding interest, and administrative fees. Your solicitor will request this from your lender, but it is worth contacting your lender early to check for any early repayment charges that could affect your sale proceeds.

Building regulations completion certificates

If any building work has been carried out on the property that required building regulations approval, you should have a building regulations completion certificate for each project. Common types of work that require building regulations include:

• Extensions and loft conversions
• Structural alterations (removing or modifying load-bearing walls)
• Electrical rewiring and new circuits
• New heating systems and boiler installations
• Replacement windows and doors (unless installed under a competent person scheme)
• Drainage work and bathroom installations

If a certificate is missing, your options include applying to the local authority for a regularisation certificate (a retrospective inspection and sign-off) or obtaining indemnity insurance to cover the risk for the buyer and their lender. Your solicitor will advise on the best approach. For a detailed guide, see our article on what to do when building regulations sign-off is missing.

Planning permission documents

If any work has been carried out on your property that required planning permission, you need evidence that permission was granted and that the work was carried out in accordance with the approved plans. This includes extensions, outbuildings above a certain size, change of use, and any work in conservation areas or to listed buildings.

Planning decisions are public records and can usually be found by searching your local authority's online planning portal. If the work was carried out under permitted development rights (which allow certain types of building work without a formal planning application), you should ideally have a Certificate of Lawful Development from the local authority confirming that the work qualified. If you do not have one, the buyer's solicitor may raise additional enquiries. See our full guide on checking planning permission before selling.

FENSA and glazing certificates

If replacement windows or external doors were installed after 1 April 2002, the work must comply with building regulations. The most common route to compliance is installation by a contractor registered with a competent person scheme such as FENSA or CERTASS, which self-certifies the work to the local authority. You should have received a FENSA certificate confirming compliance.

If you do not have a FENSA or CERTASS certificate, and the local authority has no record of building regulations sign-off for the work, the standard solution is indemnity insurance. This is a one-off policy (typically costing thirty to eighty pounds) that protects the buyer and their lender against the risk of enforcement action. Your solicitor can arrange this quickly. For a step-by-step guide, see our article on what to do if you have no FENSA certificate.

Gas safety certificate

There is no legal requirement for owner-occupiers selling their home to hold a current gas safety certificate (unlike landlords, who must have one by law under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998). However, providing a recent certificate from a Gas Safe registered engineer is strongly recommended. The buyer's solicitor will ask about gas safety on the TA6 form, and a valid certificate demonstrates that the gas appliances and installation have been inspected and are safe. A gas safety check typically costs sixty to ninety pounds and can usually be arranged on the same day.

Electrical certificate

Similarly, there is no legal requirement for owner-occupiers to hold an electrical installation condition report (EICR) when selling, but it is increasingly requested by buyers and their solicitors. If any electrical work was carried out on the property — such as rewiring, adding circuits, or installing a new consumer unit — you should have either a building regulations completion certificate or a Part P compliance certificate from a registered electrician. An EICR provides a broader assessment of the overall electrical installation and typically costs one hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds for a standard house. See our guide on electrical certificates when selling.

Guarantees, warranties, and service records

You should gather and provide copies of any transferable warranties and guarantees that cover work done on the property. Common examples include:

• New-build warranties — NHBC Buildmark, Premier Guarantee, LABC Warranty, or equivalent (typically valid for ten years from construction)
• Damp-proofing guarantees — often 20 to 30 years from installation
• Timber treatment guarantees — for woodworm or dry rot treatment
• Roofing guarantees — from the manufacturer and/or installer
• Boiler and heating warranties — typically 5 to 10 years from installation
• Double glazing guarantees — from the manufacturer and/or installer

You should also provide boiler and heating service records if available. While not strictly required, annual service records reassure buyers that the heating system has been properly maintained. The TA6 form asks you to list all guarantees and warranties, so having them to hand when you complete it will save time.

Buildings insurance

Your solicitor will need your current buildings insurance details. The buyer's solicitor may ask about your insurance arrangements, and if your property is leasehold, the management pack should include the building insurance schedule. For freehold properties, you should be able to provide your policy schedule showing the insurer, the sum insured (which should reflect the rebuild cost), and the policy expiry date. If you have made any insurance claims during your ownership, the buyer's solicitor may ask for details — the TA6 form includes a specific question about this.

What to do if documents are missing

It is common for sellers to discover that one or more documents are missing, particularly for older properties or for work that was carried out many years ago. Here is a summary of the most common solutions:

The key principle is to identify gaps early. If you start reviewing your documents before you put your property on the market, you have time to obtain replacements or arrange indemnity insurance without it affecting your conveyancing timeline. Pine is designed to help sellers prepare all their legal documents upfront, so that everything is ready to go the moment an offer is accepted.

When to start preparing your documents

The Law Society's Conveyancing Protocol (5th edition) recommends that sellers begin preparing their legal documentation as early as possible — ideally before the property goes on the market. The protocol sets out the documents that should be included in the draft contract pack sent to the buyer's solicitor, and the faster that pack is complete, the faster the transaction progresses.

In practice, the best time to start is before you list. This means:

1. Instructing a solicitor and completing the TA6 and TA10 forms
2. Checking that your EPC is valid (or arranging a new one)
3. Gathering all certificates, guarantees, and warranties for past building work
4. Identifying any gaps and arranging replacements or indemnity insurance
5. If leasehold, ordering the management pack from the managing agent

Sellers who complete this preparation before listing typically save four to six weeks from their overall conveyancing timeline, because the draft contract pack can be sent to the buyer's solicitor within days of an offer being accepted, rather than weeks.

Sources

• HM Land Registry — Official copies of register and plan — gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry
• Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 — legislation.gov.uk
• Law Society Conveyancing Protocol, 5th edition — lawsociety.org.uk
• Law Society — Property Information Form (TA6), 4th edition, 2020
• Law Society — Fittings and Contents Form (TA10), 6th edition, 2019
• Law Society — Leasehold Information Form (TA7), 3rd edition, 2019
• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 — legislation.gov.uk
• Building Regulations 2010 (as amended) — legislation.gov.uk
• The Building Act 1984 — legislation.gov.uk
• Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 — legislation.gov.uk
• GOV.UK — EPC register — epcregister.com

Related guides

• Does Your EPC Rating Affect Council Tax?
• Asbestos Survey When Selling a House: Do You Need One?
• Right to Light Issues When Selling a Property
• EICR: Electrical Installation Condition Report Explained
• Asbestos Management Survey Explained
• Mining Report Certificate: When You Need One
• Chancel Repair Liability Insurance Explained
• Buildings Insurance During a House Sale
• Septic Tank Compliance Certificate
• Legionella Risk Assessment When Selling
• Party Wall Award When Selling Your Property
• Selling After a Conservatory: Do You Need Building Regs?

Frequently asked questions