A Guide To Selling Your Property

Once you have accepted an offer on your property, you should instruct a conveyancer or solicitor as soon as possible.

Your solicitor will:

• Provide you with a quotation and client care paperwork
• Ask you to complete initial instruction forms
• Carry out identity and compliance checks
• Begin preparing the legal documentation for your sale

You should also inform your estate agent that you have instructed solicitors so they can send over the buyer’s details and memorandum of sale.

Early instruction can help reduce delays later in the transaction.

At the start of the transaction, your solicitor will send you several standard forms to complete, including:

• Property Information Forms
• Fixtures and Fittings Forms
• Leasehold Information Forms (if applicable)

These forms provide important information about your property to the buyer and their solicitor.

It is important to complete the paperwork fully, accurately, and honestly. Missing information or incomplete forms can lead to delays and additional enquiries later in the process.

You should also begin gathering supporting documents such as:

• Planning permissions
• Building regulation approvals
• FENSA certificates
• Boiler service records
• Guarantees and warranties
• Manuals for appliances being left at the property
• Alarm codes

If your property is unregistered, you should also locate the original title deeds.

For leasehold properties, this is also the ideal time to request the management or seller’s information pack from the landlord or management company, as these can take several weeks to arrive.

Your solicitor will prepare the draft contract package and send it to the buyer’s solicitor.

This usually includes:

• Draft contract documentation
• Title documents
• Property forms
• Leasehold information (if applicable)
• Supporting certificates and paperwork

If you have a mortgage on the property, your solicitor will also obtain a mortgage redemption statement showing the amount required to repay the loan on completion.

Once the buyer’s solicitor has reviewed the paperwork, they may raise additional legal enquiries about the property.

These enquiries can relate to:

• Alterations or extensions
• Boundaries
• Rights of way
• Guarantees or certificates
• Leasehold arrangements
• General property information

Your solicitor will help answer these questions, but they will often require your input and supporting documents.

Responding promptly and thoroughly can help keep the transaction moving smoothly.

Once all enquiries have been answered satisfactorily and the buyer is ready to proceed, your solicitor will send you the contract documents to sign.

At this stage:

• Proposed completion dates will usually be discussed
• You should begin making practical moving arrangements
• Final mortgage redemption figures may be updated

Completion usually takes place 1–2 weeks after exchange of contracts, although this can vary depending on the chain.

Exchange of contracts is the point at which the sale becomes legally binding.

The solicitors for both parties formally exchange signed contracts, usually over the telephone, and confirm the agreed completion date.

Once contracts are exchanged:

• Neither party can withdraw without financial penalties
• The completion date is fixed
• You should finalise moving arrangements

If there is a chain of linked transactions, exchange can sometimes take longer while all parties coordinate simultaneously.

Completion day is moving day.

On the agreed completion date:

• The buyer’s solicitor transfers the purchase funds
• Your solicitor confirms receipt of funds
• Any outstanding mortgage is repaid
• Estate agent fees are settled
• The keys can be released to the buyer

Any remaining sale proceeds will then be transferred to you or, if you are purchasing another property, sent to the next solicitor in the chain.

Before completion, sellers should ensure:

• The property is fully vacated unless otherwise agreed
• The property is left clean and tidy
• All agreed fixtures and fittings remain
• Keys are handed to the estate agent promptly

Most property sales take between 8 and 16 weeks from offer acceptance to completion, although this can vary depending on the complexity of the transaction and the length of the property chain.

No, but instructing a solicitor early, ideally when the property goes on the market, can help speed up the process once an offer is accepted.

You may need:

• Property information forms
• Title deeds (if unregistered)
• Planning permissions
• Building regulation certificates
• Guarantees and warranties
• Leasehold documents
• Mortgage details

Your solicitor will advise exactly what is required.

Your solicitor will obtain a redemption statement from your lender and repay the outstanding mortgage balance from the sale proceeds on completion.

Yes. Before exchange of contracts, either party can withdraw from the transaction without legal penalties.

Once contracts are exchanged, however, the sale becomes legally binding.

Exchange is the point at which signed contracts are formally exchanged between solicitors. After exchange, the completion date is fixed and the transaction becomes legally binding.

It is usually best to wait until exchange of contracts has taken place before committing financially to removal arrangements, as dates can still change beforehand.

On completion day, the buyer’s funds are transferred to your solicitor, your mortgage is repaid, and the keys are released to the buyer.

Common causes of delays include:

• Slow mortgage approvals
• Delayed searches
• Leasehold management packs
• Unanswered enquiries
• Property chains
• Missing paperwork

Being organised and responsive can help minimise delays.

Unfortunately, property transactions can occasionally fall through before exchange of contracts. This can happen for many reasons, including mortgage issues, survey concerns, or changes in circumstances.

While not all fall-throughs can be prevented, early preparation and proactive communication can help reduce the risk.