Conveyancing Document Checklist
Missing paperwork is the delay you can actually prevent. Here is everything your solicitor will ask for: gather it before they ask, and your transaction moves to the front of the queue.
The Short Version
- ID, proof of address and source-of-funds evidence are needed from everyone, upfront
- Gifted deposits need a signed gift letter plus the giver's ID and fund evidence
- England & Wales sellers complete TA6 and TA10 forms; Scotland uses the Property Questionnaire
- Keep completion certificates, not just permissions, for any work done
- FENSA, electrical and guarantee documents are the most commonly forgotten
- Start a single folder the day you decide to move
Why this matters
The most common self-inflicted delay in any property transaction is missing paperwork. Searches and enquiries take time no matter what, but a form returned in a week rather than an afternoon, or a document that has to be chased for a fortnight, compounds across the whole chain. Having your documents ready on day one is the single most useful thing you can do to keep things moving.
Identity and money (everyone, every time)
Anti-money-laundering rules mean your solicitor must verify who you are and where your money comes from before doing substantive work. Expect to provide:
- Photo ID: passport or driving licence
- Proof of address: a recent utility bill or bank statement, usually within the last three months
- Proof of deposit: bank statements showing the funds and, importantly, where they came from
- Source-of-funds evidence: if the money came from savings, a sale, a bonus or investments, be ready to show the trail
If you have a gifted deposit
Family help is common and rarely a problem, but it adds paperwork. Your solicitor will need a signed letter from the giver confirming the money is a gift rather than a loan and that they retain no interest in the property, plus the giver's own photo ID and evidence of where their funds came from. Arrange this early: it is a frequent late hold-up.
If you are buying with a mortgage
- Your mortgage agreement in principle, then the formal offer
- Details of your lender and broker
- Proof of income if the solicitor needs to confirm affordability for a related matter
If you are selling: England & Wales
Sellers carry the heavier paperwork burden here. You will need:
- Title deeds or confirmation the title is registered
- TA6 Property Information Form: the main disclosure form
- TA10 Fittings and Contents Form: what stays and what goes
- TA7 and a leasehold management pack if the property is leasehold
- Guarantees and certificates: for a new roof, boiler, damp treatment, windows (FENSA), electrical work
- Planning permissions and building-regulations approvals for any alterations
- Indemnity policies already in place, and any warranties such as NHBC
- An Energy Performance Certificate: required before marketing
If you are selling: Scotland
Scotland front-loads seller obligations differently. Before marketing you must have:
- A Home Report: the Single Survey and valuation, Energy Report, and Property Questionnaire you complete yourself
- Title documents: your solicitor will obtain these from Registers of Scotland if not held
- Alteration consents: building warrants and completion certificates for any work done
- Factoring information: for flats, details of the factor, common repairs and shared costs, disclosed in the Property Questionnaire
Note there is no TA6 or TA10 in Scotland; the Property Questionnaire and missives cover that ground instead.
Documents that often get forgotten
- Completion certificates for work that had building regulations or a building warrant: the permission alone is not enough
- FENSA or equivalent certificates for replacement windows
- Electrical installation certificates for rewiring
- Guarantees that need to be formally assigned to the buyer to remain valid
- Shared-drive or private-road maintenance agreements
- Septic tank or private drainage documentation, including compliance with current rules
A practical approach
Start a single folder the moment you decide to buy or sell. Put your ID, financial evidence and every certificate and guarantee you can find into it before your solicitor even asks. When the requests come, and they will come quickly, you answer in hours rather than weeks, and your transaction moves at the front of the queue rather than the back.
A Note on Jurisdiction
Seller paperwork differs by jurisdiction: England and Wales use the TA6 and TA10 forms, while Scotland uses the Property Questionnaire within the seller-provided Home Report. Identity and source-of-funds requirements apply UK-wide.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my solicitor need proof of where my deposit came from?
Anti-money-laundering law requires solicitors to verify the source of funds used in a property purchase, not just that you have the money. If your deposit came from savings, a property sale, a bonus, investments or a gift, you should be ready to evidence that trail with statements or documents. Providing this early prevents a very common delay.
What paperwork does a gifted deposit need?
A signed letter from the person giving the money, confirming it is a gift and not a loan and that they will have no interest in the property, together with their photo ID and evidence of where their own funds came from. Lenders and solicitors both require this, and arranging it late is one of the most common causes of a stalled completion.
What forms does a seller complete in England and Wales?
The main ones are the TA6 Property Information Form, covering disclosures about the property, and the TA10 Fittings and Contents Form, setting out what is included in the sale. Leasehold sellers also complete the TA7 and provide a management pack from the freeholder or managing agent. Scotland uses a Property Questionnaire within the Home Report instead.
What documents get forgotten most often?
Completion certificates for work that needed building regulations or a building warrant: people keep the permission but not the sign-off. Also FENSA certificates for replacement windows, electrical certificates for rewiring, and guarantees that must be formally assigned to the buyer to stay valid. Gathering these before marketing avoids last-minute enquiries.
Keep Reading
Related Guides and Pages
First-Time Buyer Guide
What to have ready before you even start looking.
Why Solicitors Check ID
The anti-money-laundering rules behind the paperwork.
What Is a Home Report?
The Scottish seller's core document.