Documents needed to sell a house: a checklist for sellers
To sell a house in England or Wales you need to prove who you are, prove you own the house, and give the buyer the information and paperwork they need to decide. In practice that means photo ID and proof of address, the HM Land Registry title (or your paper deeds), an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), the property forms your solicitor sends you, and any certificates and warranties for work done on the house.
Gathering these before you accept an offer is one of the simplest ways to speed up a sale. GOV.UK suggests getting your title deeds together before you put your home on the market, and says your solicitor or conveyancer can check your title as soon as you decide to sell.
The checklist at a glance
| Document | Who needs it | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Photo ID and proof of address | Your estate agent and solicitor | Passport or driving licence, plus a recent bank statement or utility bill |
| Title register and title plan | The buyer's solicitor | HM Land Registry (your solicitor usually downloads them) |
| Paper title deeds, if the home isn't registered | Your solicitor | Your own files, your lender or a previous solicitor |
| Energy Performance Certificate | Buyers, before you market the home | An accredited energy assessor |
| Property information form (TA6) | The buyer's solicitor | Your solicitor sends it for you to fill in |
| Fittings and contents form (TA10) | The buyer's solicitor | Your solicitor |
| Leasehold information form (TA7) and lease, for flats and other leaseholds | The buyer's solicitor | Your solicitor, your landlord or managing agent |
| Planning permissions and building regulations certificates | The buyer's solicitor | Your files, or the council |
| Certificates and warranties for work (windows, boiler, electrics, damp, new-build) | The buyer's solicitor | Your files, the installer or the scheme they belong to |
| Mortgage details | Your solicitor | Your lender |
| Grant of probate or power of attorney, if you're selling for someone else | Your solicitor | The probate service, or your copy of the power of attorney |
Proof of identity and address
Estate agents and conveyancers have to check who you are before they can act for you. HMRC's guidance for estate agents says the "customer" for money laundering checks is "both the buyer(s) and the seller(s)", and solicitors and conveyancers who handle property sales are covered by the same Money Laundering Regulations.
GOV.UK's selling guide gives examples of what's usually accepted:
- Photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence
- Proof of address, such as a driving licence, bank statement or utility bill no more than three months old
Some firms run part of the check electronically, using an app or photos of your ID. If the names on your documents don't match (after marriage or divorce, say), bring the paperwork that links them.
Your solicitor also has to confirm your identity to HM Land Registry when the sale is registered. HM Land Registry's practice guide 67, updated in September 2026, sets out how. If you sell without a solicitor or conveyancer, you'll need to fill in form ID1, and a conveyancer still has to verify your identity on it.
Proof you own the house: your title
GOV.UK says homes bought or mortgaged since 1998 should be registered with HM Land Registry. The title register usually shows the owner, the price paid and whether there's a mortgage, and the title plan shows the home's general boundaries.
| What you can get from HM Land Registry | Cost (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Property summary (tenure, and whether there are covenants or rights of way) | Free |
| Title register, downloaded online | £7 |
| Title plan, downloaded online | £7 |
| Official copy of a document, sent by post | £11 per document |
You don't usually need to buy these yourself, as your solicitor will get them. It's still worth looking at your title early to check the names, the boundaries and any restrictions.
If your home isn't registered, you'll need the original paper deeds to prove ownership, so find them early. GOV.UK says unregistered homes, empty homes and homes without a mortgage are at higher risk of property fraud. HM Land Registry's free Property Alert service tells you if someone applies to change the register for a registered home you're watching.
The property forms your solicitor sends you
Once you instruct a solicitor or conveyancer, they'll send you standard forms to fill in. The answers form part of the information the buyer relies on, so answer honestly and say "don't know" rather than guessing.
- Property information form (TA6). Detailed questions about the home and its history, such as boundaries, any disputes, building work and the services connected. See our TA6 guide.
- Fittings and contents form (TA10). What's included in the sale and what you're taking with you. See the TA10 guide.
- Leasehold information form (TA7). Only needed if the home is leasehold.
Energy Performance Certificate
You must order an EPC before you market your home for sale, and GOV.UK says you can be fined if you don't have one when you need it. An EPC is valid for 10 years, so if one was done for your home in that time you can usually reuse it. Our EPC guide explains costs and ratings.
Certificates, permissions and warranties
Buyers' solicitors will ask for evidence that work done on the house was approved and done properly. GOV.UK and the Council for Licensed Conveyancers list the main ones:
- Planning permissions for extensions, conversions and changes of use
- Building regulations completion certificates for structural work, loft conversions, new windows, rewiring and similar work
- Window and door certificates (FENSA or CERTAS) for replacement windows
- Gas safety and boiler records, from a Gas Safe registered engineer, and servicing records for the heating system
- Electrical certificates for rewiring or new circuits
- Damp-proofing or subsidence warranties, if work has been done
- A new-home warranty (NHBC or similar) if the home is under 10 years old
If something's missing, tell your solicitor early. You may be able to get a copy from the council, the installer or the scheme they belonged to. Your solicitor will explain the options if it can't be found.
Mortgage and money
- Your lender's name and mortgage account number, so your solicitor can ask for a redemption figure (the amount needed to pay the mortgage off on completion).
- Details of any other loans secured on the home.
- Early repayment charges. GOV.UK suggests asking your lender how much you owe and whether early repayment charges apply before you sell. See our guide to early repayment charges.
Leasehold documents
For a flat or other leasehold home, GOV.UK's selling guide lists:
- a copy of the lease and a leasehold information pack
- service charge records and receipts, including ground rent
- details of any planned major works
- for flats, information about fire safety
Much of this comes from your landlord or managing agent rather than from you, so ask your solicitor to request it as soon as you decide to sell. Our guide to selling a leasehold flat covers this in detail.
If you're selling for someone else
- After a death: the grant of probate (or letters of administration if there's no will). Executors can market the house before the grant arrives, but can't exchange contracts until it's issued. If the estate is worth more than £5,000, the application fee is £526 (from 13 July 2026). You'll also need a copy of the death certificate. See selling an inherited house.
- Under a power of attorney: GOV.UK says what you can do depends on the type of power of attorney in place, so give your solicitor a copy early.
- If the owner has lost mental capacity and there's no power of attorney: GOV.UK says you'll need to apply to the Court of Protection.
- After a divorce or separation: give your solicitor any court order or agreement that deals with the house.
What goes in the listing
Estate agents have to give buyers the material information they need to decide whether to buy, such as the tenure and, for leasehold homes, the years left on the lease, the ground rent and the service charge. Most of it comes from the documents above. Our guide to material information when selling explains what's needed.
Selling to a cash buyer
Most of the same documents are needed whoever you sell to, because the buyer's solicitor still has to check the title and you still have to prove who you are. A cash buyer who buys homes as they are may be less concerned about missing paperwork for repairs, but you should still tell them.
If you sell to us, we pay your legal fees and buy the home as it is, so there are no repairs to do first. Our offer is below market value, and if your home is in good condition and you can wait, an estate agent sale will usually get you a higher price.
Questions people ask
What ID do I need to sell my house?
Usually photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence, and proof of address, such as a bank statement or utility bill. GOV.UK's selling guide suggests proof of address no more than three months old. Estate agents and conveyancers must check your identity under the money laundering rules, and some do part of the check electronically. Your solicitor also confirms your identity to HM Land Registry.
Do I need my original title deeds to sell?
Not usually, if your home is registered with HM Land Registry. The register is the official record of ownership, and your solicitor can download it. GOV.UK says homes bought or mortgaged since 1998 should be registered. If yours isn't, you'll need the original paper deeds, so find them early. They may be with your lender, an old solicitor or in a bank's safe-keeping.
What happens if I can't find a certificate for work I had done?
Tell your solicitor as soon as you can rather than leaving it until the buyer asks. You may be able to get a copy from the installer, the council's building control team or the scheme the installer belonged to, such as FENSA or Gas Safe. If a document can't be found, your solicitor will explain the options and how they affect the buyer and their lender.
Do I need an EPC before I put my house on the market?
Yes. GOV.UK says you must order an Energy Performance Certificate before you market your home for sale, and you can be fined if you don't have one when you need it. An EPC lasts 10 years, so if you've had one done in that time you may be able to reuse it. You can check for an existing certificate on the official register.
What documents do executors need to sell a house?
Executors need the grant of probate (or letters of administration if there's no will) before contracts can be exchanged, though they can market the house before it arrives. They'll also need a copy of the death certificate, their own ID, and the usual property documents listed in this guide. If the estate is worth more than £5,000, the probate application fee is £526 (from 13 July 2026).
Sources
- How to sell a home (GOV.UK)
- Selling a home: preparing to sell (GOV.UK)
- Selling a home: energy performance certificates (GOV.UK)
- Selling a home: selling a property for someone else (GOV.UK)
- Get information about property and land (HM Land Registry, GOV.UK)
- Practice guide 67: evidence of identity (HM Land Registry)
- Protect your land and property from fraud (GOV.UK)
- AMLG2200: estate agent business guidance (HMRC)
- Money Laundering Regulations 2017, regulation 12 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Applying for probate (GOV.UK)
- A guide to selling a property (Council for Licensed Conveyancers)
Related guides
The TA6 property information form: a guide for sellers
The TA6 is the Law Society's property information form, where a seller in England or Wales answers questions about boundaries, disputes, alterations, flooding, services and more. The 6th edition has 15 sections and must be used by Conveyancing Quality Scheme firms instructed from 30 March 2026. Answer truthfully from what you know: misleading answers can lead to a misrepresentation claim.
The processThe fixtures and fittings form (TA10): a guide for sellers
The TA10 is the Law Society's fittings and contents form. A seller in England or Wales marks each item as included, excluded or not at the property, and can offer excluded items for a price. Fixtures attached to the house pass to the buyer unless the contract says otherwise, so the TA10 is how you agree exceptions and avoid arguments on moving day.
The processDo you need an EPC to sell a house?
Yes. To sell a home in England or Wales you must order an Energy Performance Certificate before you market it, unless you already have a valid one. EPCs last 10 years, must be given free to buyers, and the rating must appear in adverts. The fine for not having one for a home is £200. Only a few homes are exempt, such as some listed buildings and homes used for under four months a year.
General information for England and Wales, not legal, tax or financial advice. Last checked 26 October 2026.