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★What Legal Documents & Paperwork do I Need to Sell My House?
Posted on: 26th July 2022 | Filled under: How to Sell a House
Written by: Mark King
So, you have decided to sell your property; there’s a lot to consider and get into order, including the documents needed to sell a house. We have compiled a list that might help to get your essential paperwork organised as a starting point.
Contact Mark King Properties today if you are selling a house in South Wales and would like a fast and easy house sale. We buy any house here in South Wales and will make you a cash offer for any house today. Call 02920 501 001 or click the button below for a cash offer today.
What paperwork and documents are needed to sell a house?
Let’s start with the basics; you will need documents that can prove your identity; this will be checked by your solicitor. You will need a photo ID in the form of either a passport or a driving license. Other photo IDs may be accepted if you don’t have either of these.
You will also need proof of your current address; this will likely be a utility or council tax bill in the last three months.
Solicitors will need these documents for anti-money laundering purposes.
(Learn all about what solicitors do and how much they cost in my recent post, “everything you need to know about solicitor fees“)
Now that you have your personal documents in order, the next important document is the Property Title Deeds.
You need to be able to prove that the house you are selling is legally yours. Don’t panic if you cannot locate these or have never seen them; it is easy enough to ask your solicitor to obtain these for you. They will retrieve the deeds from Land Registry.
If, however, your house has not been sold since 1990, then Land Registry may not hold any deeds, In which case either your mortgage provider should have a copy or, again, your solicitor may hold a copy. The quicker this process begins, the better. This can sometimes be a lengthy and time-consuming process, so be sure to get guidance on this.
In the case where no title deeds are retrievable, then an application for ‘Title Absolute’ will need to be made; this is done through Land Registry and can take some time, so please allow a suitable time frame for this. Sometimes this process can take months; it is helpful to use a representative to chase this if the task seems daunting.
If your property is leasehold, you will need to provide the leasehold information, including ground rent and service charges. Again, this will need to be documented, and an efficient company like Mark King Properties can help with this.
EPC or Energy Performance Certificate
This is a document that outlines the assessment of energy consumption and the impact of CO2. If you don’t have this document in your possession, you can have this arranged by your Estate Agent. It needs to have been issued within the last 10 years.
The Fittings and Contents Form is also known as the TA10. This document will list a breakdown of what is included in the sale of the property. This includes outbuildings, like sheds, garages, plants and trees and furniture, light fixtures and ornaments. Having this listed clearly means there is no ambiguity as to what should remain and what can be taken. This helps minimise delays and reduces the risk of an upset buyer.
Property Information Form
Also known as the TA6 is a much more comprehensive document which details the property’s current status and will also list documents that have been noted, which will then need to be provided later on. Important documents that may be listed here are Buildings regulation forms, FENSA Certificates for windows, planning documents etc
Here is a list that is covered on the TA6 form;
- Boundaries (Hedges and Fences)
- Complaints (any disputes with Neighbours)
- Proposals (local area)
- Planning (alterations or building work including windows etc)
- Warranties (including guarantees on solar panels)
- Insurance
- Environmental matters (flooding)
- Parking
- Services (boiler serving, heaving etc)
- Occupiers (tenants)
- Connection to Utilities (meters for water, electricity and gas)
- Other Changes (leasehold service charges and any other related costs)
- Transaction Information (moving dates, chain etc)
This document is lengthy and can take quite some time to complete.
Mortgage details need to be provided, including account details and the amount still owed by you. If there are any loans or charges against your property, these also need to be shown.
Transfer of Deeds document will be overseen by your solicitor; this document outlines information about the property’s sale price and dates of exchange and completion.
Once the contracts have been exchanged and signed, the sale is legally binding and pulling out after this stage means financial compensation that can be quite substantial. Any charges against the property are listed on title deeds.
If there are any payments outstanding, these will need to be paid off. It is a promise of sorts/undertaking which stipulates that you will use the money from the sale to pay off the mortgage and charges.
You will need to sign a Transfer of Deeds document ready for your sale completion.
Here is a summarised checklist of legal documents you will need to sell your property;
Documents required for selling a property:
Essential:
- Proof of Identity
- Property Title Deeds
- EPC
Highly Advised:
- Fittings & Contents Form (TA10)
- Property Information Form (TA6)
- Leasehold Information Form (TA7)
- Management Information Pack
Extras:
- Gas & Electrical Safety Certificates
- Building Work
Mark King is an expert in making the process of selling a house fast, simple and straightforward with minimum stress and saving time as he has experience in gathering the necessary documents needed to sell a house and helping the seller fill them out, his legal team are efficient at obtaining the documents listed in this article, and this is done as part of his free complimentary service when buying your property.
With house sales, time is of the essence, and Mark King Properties is fully aware of the time-sensitive transaction; our aim is to provide a service whereby all the above becomes an easy and straightforward process for the sale of your home.
Here at Mark King Properties, we buy any house in any condition anywhere in South Wales.
