Selling a House Document Checklist

Who this is for

The papers a sale will ask for, gathered early. Each document has a line to tick when you have found it and again when it has gone to your solicitor, with the date it went. Sorting this before the house is listed saves weeks of searching once a buyer is waiting.

Homeowners getting ready to put a property on the market, and anyone selling on behalf of a relative who needs to know what to look for in the files.

What this helps you track

• Identity and title papers your solicitor will want first
• The property information and fixtures forms
• Certificates, approvals and sign-offs for work done to the home
• Guarantees, warranties and service records that transfer with the property
• Leasehold papers, where the property is leasehold

How to use it

1. Write the property, your solicitor or conveyancer and the planned listing date at the top.
2. Work down the list and tick located once you have the document, or a copy, in your hands.
3. Cross through lines that do not apply to your home and add any others your solicitor asks for.
4. Tick sent and write the date when each item goes to your solicitor, so you can answer when they ask.
5. Use the notes column for anything missing and who you have asked for a copy.
6. Keep your own copies of everything you send, and ask your solicitor which items apply where you are.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Does every sale need every document on this list?

No. What is needed depends on the property, the work done to it and the rules where you are. Cross out what does not apply and ask your solicitor or conveyancer to confirm the rest.

What if I cannot find a certificate or guarantee?

Note it on the sheet and tell your solicitor early. Copies can often be requested from whoever issued them, and your solicitor can advise on what else can be done if a document cannot be found.

Why gather documents before listing?

Buyers' solicitors raise questions soon after an offer is accepted. Having the papers ready means answers go back quickly, which helps keep the sale and any chain moving.

Can I send scans rather than originals?

Many firms work from scans or copies, but some items may be wanted in original form. Ask your solicitor how they want each document and note it on the sheet.