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When selling your home you'll need a conveyancing solicitor to act on your behalf. Here we explain the step-by-step process of how to sell your house.
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When it comes to selling your home, it's likely that you'll need a conveyancer to act on your behalf to complete the legal work. Here we detail the steps to selling a house to help you understand the process and what your conveyancer will need from you, so you can be ready for when a sale is agreed.
In this article:
Duration: 1 minute 46 seconds
Keep reading to learn more about the steps to selling your house.
When it comes to selling your house, you’ll most likely need a conveyancer to act on your behalf to complete the legal work, once an offer has been made. Choosing and instructing a conveyancer as early on in the selling process as possible means that you can start the process as soon as you have found a buyer.
Or learn more about the conveyancing process of selling a house below:
ID Check:
For your ID check, your conveyancer they will have to see your primary ID, such as a passport or driving licence as well as proof of residence in the form of a bank statement or utility bill.
Calculate outstanding monies:
If you have a mortgage (or other loan) secured on the house you are selling, your conveyancer will request a redemption figure from your lender to find out how much is outstanding, this figure will then be paid out of your sale proceeds on completion.
Leasehold information:
If the property you are selling is a leasehold, they will contact your landlord / management company to find out more details about how the lease works and whether there are any works due to be done or payments outstanding etc.
Your conveyancer will then need to obtain a copy of the title and send a draft contract to the buyer's conveyancer.
If you bought or remortgaged the house you are selling, in the last 25 years, it's likely that the property is registered at the Land Registry, showing you as owner, they should also have a plan of the property and any additional documents they hold for the property.
If no transactions have taken place in the last 25 years, then the property could be unregistered and you should have the title deeds to the property. You may hold these or your lender may have them if you still have a mortgage, either way your conveyancer will need these to sell the property.
Before you exchange contracts, you’ll need to complete and return detailed questionnaires for your buyers, about the property, and what you intend to include with the sale. This can include a Property Information form which has specific details about the property, its boundaries, any alterations to the property etc. and a Fixtures, Fittings and Contents form to say what you will be taking and leaving behind.
These will then all be sent to the buyer's conveyancers, along with any additional documents you have provided. Your buyers may then instruct searches and arrange for a survey to be carried out on the property.
When all the details are sorted, you will need to agree a completion date with your buyer and exchange contracts. Before you exchange contracts, you will need carefully read the contract, sign it, and return it to your conveyancer. You will also have to sign the transfer document, which is a legal document that both seller and buyer need to sign or transfer the ownership of the property. This must be signed in the presence of an independent witness over the age of 18 years and the original should be sent back to your conveyancer. Once the contracts have been exchanged, you are legally obliged to complete on the date agreed in the contract.
On the day of completion, the buyer’s conveyancers will transfer the money to purchase your property to your conveyancer by telegraphic transfer. As soon as this has been received, your conveyancer will then use this to pay off any outstanding balances such as, the existing mortgage on the property, the estate agents' fees or leasehold charges and then transfer legal ownership.
Once you have completed on your house sale, your conveyancer will then send the signed transfer to the buyer’s solicitors so that they can register the transfer of ownership with the Land Registry.
You must remember to keep paying the mortgage and home insurance until after completion.
You may also want to set up a temporary postal redirection service, so your mail gets delivered to your new address.
Your conveyancer will then account for their fees, estate agent or mortgage costs and pay any balance to you by bank transfer. If you’re wondering what the fees associated with a sale are, you can read all about the cost of selling a house
If you’re still not sure where to start, our top ten tips to prepare your home for the market may help you when selling your house.
When selling a property with an existing mortgage, understanding the mortgage redemption process is essential to avoid unexpected delays. Mortgage redemption refers to repaying the remaining balance on your mortgage when selling your home. Before completion, your solicitor will request a mortgage redemption statement from your lender to confirm the exact amount required to clear your mortgage. This step is crucial to ensure the proceeds from your property sale are accurately calculated and applied.
Mortgage redemption involves settling your outstanding mortgage, including any fees or early repayment charges. Here’s why it’s important to address this early in the sale process:
Clears Existing Mortgage Debt: Ensures your current mortgage is fully paid off with the sale proceeds.
Avoids Delays: Obtaining the redemption figure in advance prevents last-minute hold-ups at completion.
Includes All Charges: The statement covers any additional costs, such as interest accrued or early repayment fees, providing a clear breakdown of what’s owed.
Your conveyancer will typically handle the request for your redemption statement on your behalf. This document must be received before completion to confirm how much of the sale proceeds will pay off your mortgage.
At My Home Move Conveyancing, we streamline the mortgage redemption process for sellers, ensuring everything is taken care of promptly. We’ll guide you through each step, making sure your mortgage is redeemed on time and the sale goes ahead smoothly. Whether you're selling or buying, we’ll be with you from start to finish, ensuring a seamless transition from one home to the next.
Energy performance certificates (EPCs) set out your property’s energy efficiency rating. It’s a legal requirement to make it available within seven days of putting your house on the market, it’s a good idea to get it done as early as possible. However, as EPCs are valid for 10 years, if you’ve owned the property for less than a decade, you may be able to use the existing EPC rather than having to pay for a new one.
In order to prove that you’re legally permitted to sell your house, you need a copy of the title deeds. As they’re usually be held by the Land Registry, your conveyancer will request a copy for you. If your property isn’t registered (which is possible if it hasn’t changed hands in the last 25-30 years), then it’s most likely that your mortgage provider has the title deeds, or you may even have them yourself.
The exchange of contracts is often done by your conveyancer over the phone, with hard copies of the documents then sent in the post. Once you’ve exchanged, you’re now legally obliged to sell your house, on the completion date which has been agreed. If you’re involved in a chain, then all parties need to agree on completion in order to move forward before you’ll be able to exchange contracts.
You should take meter readings and let your utility companies know that you’re moving out, as this will help you to pay the correct final bills. For further advice on moving out, check out our handy moving house checklist.
Make sure you drop off your keys with your estate agents no later than 2pm on completion day, so your buyers can get in as soon as it has been completed.
Once you’ve completed, make sure you promptly update your address with relevant providers and suppliers, including things like your bank account and driving licence. You can use the Royal Mail’s redirection service to ensure your post reaches you at your new address.
For more information on the process of selling a house, take a look at our other handy articles how long it takes to sell a house and the cost of selling a house.
Get in touch with one of the team
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If you would like to email us, please send it to the following email address:
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