Selling a house invariably involves gathering a lot of information. One part of this process involves collecting certain certificates which are needed to sell a house. You will need to provide proof of identity, property title deeds and an energy performance certificate, as well as other information depending on the circumstances.
Selling a house invariably involves gathering a lot of information. One part of this process involves collecting certain certificates which are needed to sell a house. But what certificates do you need? In this article, we provide all the information you need to know about the certificates you need to sell a house in the UK.
Certificates Needed to Sell a House
Even once you have decided what you don’t need to fix when selling your house, you will still need to provide certain certificates and information to potential buyers. With the majority of sales in the UK, the following certificates and documentation will need to be provided:
Proof of Identity
Property title deeds
Energy Performance Certificate
FENSA certificate if a window or door has been replaced since 1st April 2002
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) if certain electrical work has been carried out since 1st January 2005
Information on your existing mortgage deal
This is not an exhaustive list though. Ultimately, no two property sales are the same, and you may be required to provide many more certificates and documentation.We will now go into some more detail about all of the certificates and information which you may need to provide when selling your property.
Proof of Identity
Before you begin the process of gathering and acquiring certificates, you need to provide proof of identity to your conveyancing solicitor. Usually, you will need to provide a form of photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence. Also, you will need to give proof of your address, such as a recent utility bill, council tax bill or bank statement. If you jointly own the home with another person, you will both need to provide a proof of identity. Conveyancing solicitors need to see identification in order to satisfy anti-money laundering rules.
Property Tile Deeds
The property title deeds are essentially another form of identification and as a seller, you will almost certainly need to provide them. The property title deeds prove that you own the property, and will also provide details of who owned the property before. The property deeds will provide information regarding whether the property is freehold or leasehold and the boundaries of the property, as well as information around garden space.When you buy a house in the UK, you will usually receive the property title deeds at the time of purchase. If you don’t have them, your conveyancing solicitor or mortgage provider will probably have them.If you can’t get access to your property title deeds, you can ask your solicitor to apply to the Land Registry for a scanned copy of the deeds. Typically, HM Land Registry will have a digital copy of the title deeds.If the Land Registry doesn’t have a copy of the title deeds, you may need to make a Land Registry application for a Title Absolute.
Shared Freehold/Leasehold Documentation
You may need to provide either a Lease or a Share certificate when you sell your property. If your property is a shared freehold home, you will need to supply a Share Certificate. A lease is needed if the property is a leasehold.
Energy Performance Certificate
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is an extremely important document. You must have an EPC to be able to market and advertise your property for sale. The EPC is a certificate which highlights the energy performance rating of your property. There is a scale from A to G, with A being the most energy efficient and G being the least energy efficient. The EPC rating of a house is determined by the amount of energy used per m²and the level of carbon dioxide emissions. The energy rating assessment for the EPC must be carried out by a suitably qualified energy assessor. They will visit your property and conduct a number of tests to assess the property’s energy performance. The cost of the EPC is usually between around £45 and £120. Our article on improving your EPC rating provides a number of useful tips to help improve the EPC rating of your property. You can arrange the energy performance assessment yourself or through your estate agent. As part of our selling services at Chancellors, we can arrange the energy performance assessment for you.
Fittings and Contents Form (TA10)
The Fittings and Content Form (TA10) is a form which outlines exactly what is included in the sale of property, as well as what isn’t included. Both the buyer and the seller will discuss what will be included in the sale of the property. The TA10 form will detail every item which will be included in the property, so that there is no confusion for either party. The general rule is that any built-in fixtures in the property will be included in the sale, so these are not usually listed on the TA10 form.Some of the items which might be included in this form include:
White goods
Furniture
Shelves
Carpets
Curtains
Also, the form will usually contain information about what items will be included within the outdoor space of the property.Whilst the completion of this form is not a strict legal requirement, we recommend completing the form. This form can be invaluable in avoiding any troublesome issues later on down the selling process. Your solicitor will usually provide the TA10 form.
Property Information Form (TA6)
The Property Information Form (TA6) is one of the most useful certificates which you can provide when selling a property. It is a detailed form which will take a long time to fill in, but the time investment is worth it, particularly if you want to sell your house quickly.This extremely detailed form includes a wide range of information relating to the property. Some of the information which might be contained within it includes:
Boundaries
Building proposals and notices
Council tax band
Any ongoing complaints and disputes with neighbours
Current tenants
Flooding risks
Subsidence warranties
Damp warranties or guarantees
Asbestos surveys
Any information concerning Japanese knotweed
It is extremely important for the information in the form to be accurate and true to the best of your knowledge. Incomplete or incorrect information could lead you to the risk of compensation claims in the future. Just like the TA10 form, it isn’t mandatory to complete and provide the TA6 form. However, again, it is recommended that sellers complete this form. For the buyer, the TA6 form is extremely useful and can answer a lot of questions which they may have. If there is delay in providing this kind of information, the sale of a house is likely to be held up and may even completely fall through.You can find out more about the the TA6 and TA10 forms through the Law Society.
Leasehold Information Form (TA7)
The Leasehold Information Form (TA7) is only applicable if you are selling a leasehold property. The TA7 will include all the key information around leaseholds including information about the freeholder, the managing agent, the ground rent and service charges. If you own a share of the freehold, there will also be details in the form around this.Anyone who lives in a leasehold property will need to obtain a Leasehold Information Pack or Management Information Pack, which you can get from your solicitor or, alternatively, from the freeholder or their managing agent. This document provides critical information, including any future planned maintenance work and should also include a copy of the lease. The information contained within this pack could be key in convincing a potential buyer to purchase your home. Bear in mind that you may need to pay a fee to your freeholder. This will usually be the case if the buyer’s solicitor raises leasehold property enquiries after reading the terms of the lease.
FENSA Certificates
If you have had any windows or doors replaced since 1st April 2002, you must provide a FENSA certificate. The FENSA certificate provides proof that the installer of the windows or doors complied with all building regulations and that the installations were registered with the local council.If you had windows or doors replaced and you don’t have a FENSA certificate, you may need to pay to get the installations accredited.If you moved into the property after the 1st April 2002, you should check the records of the property to determine whether windows and doors have been replaced. It is likely that the certificate/s will have been left if work has been carried out. FENSA certificates are not a legal requirement when selling a house. Still, any windows that have been replaced since this date must be supported by a FENSA certificate.
Documents for Gas and Boiler
It goes without saying that any potential buyer will want to know that the boiler in the property is working safely. Documentation will be required if you or the previous owner replaced the boiler. A valid boiler installation certificate provides proof that the gas boiler was installed safely and correctly by a Gas Safe engineer. If an engineer has carried out any gas work at the property, such as a service or a safety check, they should supply you with a Gas Safety Certificate (CP12), sometimes known as the gas safety record. This will detail what the engineer inspected and any further issues to be aware of.You don’t need to get a Gas Safety Certificate to sell your home. However, it is worth getting a Gas Safety Certificate done, given that a buyer is well within their rights to ask for one, and may demand to see one. Also, keep in mind that if you decide you want to rent out your property rather than selling, you will definitely need to obtain a Gas Safety Certificate.
Electrical Safety Certificates
An electrical safety certificate is not a legal requirement when selling a house. However, it can provide a sense of assurance and peace of mind to potential buyers, indicating that the electrics are safe.However, if any alterations or additions have been made to the electrical installation in the property since 1st January 2005, including rewiring or a new electric circuit, relevant documentation needs to be obtained and provided, which would usually be an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). This documentation will indicate that the electrical work has met certain standards. Electricians can supply both electric certificates and buildings regulation compliance certificates. You can give these certificates to the new homeowners.Also, it is important to keep in mind that if you decide to rent out the property instead of selling, you must provide an electrical safety certificate.
Building Work Certificates for Extensions and Alterations
You will need to provide certificates of any major building works which have been carried out on the property, such as building an extension, or converting a cellar or an attic. These certificates will provide proof that all legal processes were adhered to, including planning permission and approval from the local authority’s building regulations department.If you do not have access to these certificates, you (or the buyer) could get building regulation indemnity insurance. This insurance will pay out if works done to the property have not been carried out correctly.
Documents Around Mortgage Details
You will need to provide information around your existing mortgage deal, including how much is still owed and any extra charges or loans registered to the property. Typically, charges are noted on the property title deeds.You will need to sign an undertaking if there are any payments outstanding. This guarantees that you will use the funds from the sale to pay off whatever is outstanding, so that the new buyer will not have any liability for the mortgage.
Do I Need to Provide and Energy Performance Certificate to Sell a Property?
Yes, it is a legal requirement to provide an Energy Performance Certificate. This must be provided free of charge to the potential buyer.
Do I Need a Gas Safety Certificate to Sell My House?
It is not a legal requirement to provide a Gas Safety Certificate. However, a Gas Safety Certificate is worth investing in as it is likely that a buyer will ask for documentation around gas safety. You could potentially speed up the sale of your house by having the certificate ready to provide to a potential buyer.
Do I Need an Electrical Safety Certificate?
You do not need to provide an electrical safety certificate to sell a property in the UK. However, you will give a potential buyer peace of mind if you can easily provide an electrical safety certificate to prove the electrics in the property are safe. Crucially, it may also speed up the sale of the property too.Still, if you have had any electrical work carried out at the property which is under Part P of the Building Regulations, you must have an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).
Will I Need to Provide Any Other Certificates or Documentation?
A buyer can ask sellers to provide information about anything relating to the property. The Property Information Form (TA6) will usually contain the key information on the property, but there might be information beyond that which the buyer is keen to know about.Whilst you are not legally obliged to provide any more certificates than the ones mentioned in this post, it is generally a good idea to provide any information which the buyer requests, particularly if they are a serious buyer and you are keen on a quick sale.
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