By Press Release
Most of us spend time getting a property ready to sell before placing it on the market. This may mean a lick of paint in some rooms and finishing off those long overdue DIY jobs in others. However, many people overlook getting their paperwork in order before putting up the sale board.
Preparing your paperwork to sell includes checking the location of any relevant deeds and conveyancing documents from the original purchase. While most properties are held by the Land Registry as an electronic entry, old deeds may contain detailed information that does not appear in the Land Registry records and any property that has not changed hands for many years is likely to be subject to digital registration which will require the original deeds.
Other key paperwork is that which covers any modifications to a property that required planning permission or building regulations consent. Here, certificates will be required to show these aspects have been followed and satisfied. For leasehold property, any works requiring approval by the freeholder will need to be documented too.
Any electrical or gas work will need a certificate to show that the work has been properly carried out in accordance with applicable regulations by a suitably qualified technician. Similarly, new oil boilers or oil tank installations should have certification covering their installation in place, and new windows should have a FENSA certificate.
If you are missing any paperwork which you think may be needed for the sale, it is worth discussing the nature of this with a solicitor before approaching any third parties in an attempt to locate originals or duplicates.
Sellers who are prepared will avoid delays later which means they are ready to act immediately when a buyer is found. For those purchasing on and chasing the perfect property, with a continuing shortage of new property coming to the market, preparation will make sure you are the best bet, not just the highest offer.
If you would like to talk to a member of our friendly residential property team about preparing your property paperwork for a smooth sale, please call us on 01983 533938.