Getting your house in order!

With Spring surely just around the corner, there is no better time to start planning your property journey, whether you are buying or selling. Mindful of the fact that it takes on average 169 days to sell a property, it is highly beneficial to get the inevitable paperwork sorted as soon as possible. Here is a checklist of the documents that you can supply to your conveyancer to help speed up the process:

Proof of Identity and Address

In order to comply with the Anti-Money Laundering Regulations, your conveyancer will ask you to present two forms of valid identification evidence to prove who you are and where you currently live. Usually this will be one piece of government issued photo ID and a utility bill dated within the last three months.

Mortgage Application

Should you be funding your home by a mortgage, your conveyancer will require a copy of your mortgage offer prior to exchange, in addition to evidence of any other funds that will be used as part of the purchase.

In addition to providing your proof of identity and address, you will need to supply your conveyancer with the following documents when you are selling your property:

Property Title Deeds

These documents prove that you are the current legal owner of the property you wish to sell. These are often stored with the solicitor’s firm that you used when you purchased the property - however they can be requested from the Land Registry by your conveyancer for an additional fee.

Leasehold or Freehold Details

If you are selling a leasehold property, your conveyancer will require a copy of the lease, the share certificate and leasehold information pack from the management company.

Alternatively, if you are selling a share of the freehold your conveyancer will need to see a document showing its structure.

Energy Performance Certificate (‘EPC’)

Unless your property is Listed, you will need to present your conveyancer with a copy of the EPC which details the property’s energy use and CO2 impact. The document will last for ten years and can be arranged through your estate agent.

Property Information Form (‘TA6’)

This form contains more than 60 questions and, to complete it fully, you will need to have additional paperwork such as gas and electrical safety certificates, planning consent, building regulation documents to hand. The form can be found at www.lawsociety.org.uk and is sometimes the cause of unnecessary delay in the conveyancing process if completed incorrectly.

Fittings and Contents Form (‘TA10’)

This form details which fittings and contents will be included in the sale of the property and is broken down into sections for each room of the property. Some of the typical items included in this form are fridges, freezers, fitted wardrobes and sheds etc. The aim of this document is to prevent unnecessary arguments over which items will be left in the property. The form can be found at www.lawsociety.org.uk.

To find out more, call us on: 01603 625231