Documents Needed to Sell a House in the UK: Complete Checklist

Selling a property involves more than finding a buyer and accepting an offer. Before putting your home on the market, it is important to have the right documents and information ready.

Having your paperwork organised early can help your estate agent, solicitor or conveyancer and potential buyer move through the selling process more efficiently.

If you are asking “what documents do I need to sell my house?”, this guide covers the key paperwork you should prepare before marketing your property.

What documents do you need to sell a house?

The exact documents required can vary depending on your property and circumstances. However, sellers will commonly need information relating to:

Your identity
Property ownership
Energy performance
Property boundaries
Fixtures and fittings
Planning and building work
Leasehold information, where applicable
Mortgage details
Property condition and alterations

Preparing these documents before your property goes on the market can make the selling process easier.

1. Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is one of the important documents to check before selling your property.

In England and Wales, you generally need an EPC when selling a property. GOV.UK states that an EPC should be available before a property is marketed for sale or rent. An EPC normally remains valid for 10 years unless a newer EPC is produced.

You can check whether your property already has a valid certificate through the official government service.

If you want to understand EPCs in more detail, read our guide:

What Is an EPC and Why Do You Need One When Selling or Renting a Property?

You can also check the latest official guidance from GOV.UK – Energy Performance Certificates.

2. Proof of identity

Your solicitor or conveyancer will normally need to verify your identity.

You may be asked for documents such as:

Passport
Driving licence
Proof of address
Bank statement
Utility bill

The exact documents accepted can vary between firms, so check with your solicitor or conveyancer before sending anything.

Identity checks are an important part of the property-selling process and may also be required by other professionals involved in the transaction.

3. Proof of ownership and title information

Your legal representative will need information confirming your ownership of the property.

This may include details contained within the property’s title information.

HM Land Registry holds information about registered properties in England and Wales. You can use the government’s property information services to find information relating to registered property.

Check property information through GOV.UK

If you have documents from when you originally purchased the property, keep them available because your solicitor may ask for relevant information.

4. Property information form

When selling a property, your solicitor or conveyancer will normally ask you to complete property information forms.

These forms can ask about matters such as:

Property boundaries
Neighbours
Parking
Access
Disputes
Previous works
Guarantees
Planning matters
Utilities
Notices affecting the property

Answer these questions carefully and accurately.

If you are unsure about a question, ask your legal representative rather than guessing.

Providing incomplete or inaccurate information can create problems later in the transaction.

5. Details of building work and improvements

Have you made changes to your property?

For example:

Loft conversion
Extension
New windows
Conservatory
Garage conversion
Structural alterations
New roof
Electrical work
Major renovations

If so, try to locate any relevant paperwork.

Depending on the work, this could include:

Planning permission
Building regulations approval
Completion certificates
Guarantees
Warranties
Installation certificates

Keeping these documents together can make it easier to answer questions from your solicitor and potential buyers.

6. Guarantees and warranties

If work has been completed on your property, you may have guarantees or warranties.

Examples could include documentation for:

Damp treatment
Roofing work
Windows
Boiler installation
Solar panels
Insulation
Electrical work
Building work

Don’t throw these documents away after completing the work.

A buyer may want to know whether particular work is covered by a transferable guarantee or warranty.

7. Fittings and contents information

Your buyer will need to understand what is included with the property.

Your solicitor may ask you to provide information about fixtures, fittings and contents.

This could include items such as:

Light fittings
Curtains and blinds
Appliances
Garden sheds
Garden equipment
Integrated appliances
Satellite dishes
Outdoor structures

Be clear about what you intend to leave behind and what you plan to take with you.

This can help prevent disagreements later.

8. Mortgage information

If you currently have a mortgage on the property, you should have your mortgage details available.

Your solicitor or conveyancer will need to deal with the outstanding mortgage as part of the sale.

You may want to contact your lender early to find out:

Current mortgage balance
Whether there are early repayment charges
How the mortgage will be redeemed
Whether there are other charges connected with the mortgage

GOV.UK recommends checking how much you owe on your mortgage before selling your home.

You can read the government’s general guidance on selling a home in England and Wales.

9. Leasehold documents

If you are selling a leasehold property, you may need additional information.

This can include:

Lease
Ground rent information
Service charge information
Buildings insurance details
Managing agent details
Information about planned major works
Leasehold information pack

Leasehold sales can involve additional paperwork, so it is sensible to start gathering these documents as early as possible.

If you are unsure what is required, speak to your solicitor or conveyancer.

10. Planning permission and building regulations documents

If you have carried out work that required permission or approval, keep the relevant documents.

For example, if you built an extension, converted a loft or made a significant structural change, your solicitor may ask for evidence that the appropriate approvals were obtained.

Having this information ready can help answer buyer enquiries.

11. Property valuation information

Before deciding on an asking price, it is useful to understand what similar properties are selling for in your area.

GOV.UK recommends researching comparable properties and asking three different estate agents to value your property.

An estate agent’s valuation is not a guarantee of the eventual selling price. The final amount a property sells for depends on factors including buyer demand, the property itself and market conditions.

If you are considering selling, you can start by getting a free property valuation through Find My Estate Agent.

Comparing local information and professional valuations can help you make a more informed decision about your asking price.

12. Details about property boundaries and access

Make sure you have information about your property’s boundaries and access arrangements.

Questions may arise about:

Shared driveways
Rights of way
Parking spaces
Shared entrances
Garden boundaries
Access to neighbouring properties

If there are formal rights or restrictions affecting your property, your solicitor should be made aware of them.

Do not assume that an arrangement with a neighbour is legally recorded just because it has existed for many years.

13. Certificates for specialist work

Depending on your property, you may have additional certificates.

For example:

Electrical installation certificates
Gas safety documentation
Boiler warranties
FENSA or similar window documentation
Roof guarantees
Solar panel documentation
New-build warranties

Not every seller will have all of these documents, but if you have them, keep them organised and provide relevant information to your legal representative.

A simple house-selling document checklist

Before putting your property on the market, use this checklist:

Property documents

EPC
Title information
Property information
Lease, if leasehold
Ground rent information, if applicable
Service charge information, if applicable

Work and improvement documents

Planning permissions
Building regulations certificates
Completion certificates
Guarantees
Warranties
Installation certificates

Personal and financial information

Passport or other ID
Proof of address
Mortgage information
Solicitor or conveyancer details

Property-specific information

Boundary information
Parking arrangements
Rights of way
Shared access information
Fixtures and fittings information

When should you start preparing your documents?

Ideally, start collecting your paperwork before you instruct an estate agent or put your property on the market.

This gives you time to find missing documents and contact the relevant organisations if necessary.

It is particularly useful to check your EPC early. GOV.UK states that sellers generally need an EPC before marketing a property, so discovering that your certificate has expired shortly before launching your property could cause an unnecessary delay.

You can check the government’s EPC service on GOV.UK to see whether your property has a certificate.

What happens after you put your house on the market?

Once your property is ready and your estate agent begins marketing it, potential buyers may arrange viewings and make offers.

After accepting an offer, the legal process continues.

The buyer’s solicitor or conveyancer may raise questions about the property and request additional information.

This is why keeping your documents organised from the beginning can be useful.

Remember that accepting an offer does not normally mean the sale is legally complete. In England and Wales, the transaction becomes legally binding when contracts are exchanged.

For a broader overview, read the official GOV.UK guide to selling a home.

Preparing your property before selling

Documents are only one part of preparing your home for sale.

You should also think about:

Presentation
Property photography
Decluttering
Minor repairs
Garden appearance
Asking price
Marketing
Choosing an estate agent

GOV.UK recommends making your home “sale ready” before marketing it and advises sellers to research local prices and obtain valuations from estate agents.

Good preparation can also make it easier for potential buyers to understand the property and move forward when they are interested.

Get your property ready to sell

Not sure what your property could be worth?

Find My Estate Agent can help you start the process of understanding your local property market and finding estate-agent options.

Request a free property valuation and start preparing your property for its next step.

Final thoughts

Knowing which documents you need to sell a house can make the selling process easier to organise.

Start with the essentials: check your EPC, gather ownership and property information, locate paperwork for previous work and improvements, and speak with your solicitor or conveyancer about anything you are unsure about.

Most importantly, don’t wait until you have accepted an offer to start searching for important paperwork. Preparing early can help you respond to questions more efficiently as the sale progresses.

For official information about selling a home in England and Wales, always check the latest guidance on GOV.UK.