Buying or selling property in England involves dozens of legal documents, checks, and signatures. Knowing what’s coming next avoids delay and confusion. This guide lists every key document in order, explains who provides it, when it appears, and the most common hold-ups.

Average completion time: 12–16 weeks (faster with complete paperwork).

STAGE 1 – Property Listed (Seller Side)

Document	Who Provides	Purpose
Estate agent’s terms of business	Seller → Agent	Sets commission, tie-in period, right to marketing
Sales particulars / property listing	Agent	Used by buyers to confirm details
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)	Seller	Must be valid before marketing (you can check it on the website)

STAGE 2 – Offer Accepted (Both Parties)

Document	Who Provides	Purpose
Memorandum of Sale	Estate Agent	Confirms price, parties, and solicitors
Conveyancer Instruction Forms	Buyer & Seller	Officially appoints solicitors
ID & Proof of Address	Buyer & Seller	Anti-Money Laundering (AML) check (£10–£30 digital)
Proof of Funds	Buyer	Bank statements, gift letter, or source declaration
Mortgage Agreement in Principle (AIP)	Buyer → Lender	Confirms affordability before survey

Overseas buyers: AML and source-of-funds verification may require notarised or translated documents, expect extra 1–2 weeks.

STAGE 3 – Conveyancing Starts (Weeks 1–2)

Seller provides:

• TA6 Property Information Form – covers boundaries, utilities, disputes.
• TA10 Fixtures & Fittings Form – lists inclusions/exclusions.
• TA7 Leasehold Information Form (if applicable).
• Copies of planning permissions, FENSA, Gas Safe, electrical certificates, warranties, and guarantees.

Buyer provides:

• Signed client-care letter and AML forms to solicitor.
• Mortgage application documents (payslips, bank statements).
• Draft contract received from seller’s solicitor to review.
  

STAGE 4 – Document Gathering (Weeks 2–4)

Buyer Documents	Seller Documents
Official Land Registry title register and plan (obtained by buyer’s solicitor, £3 each)	Mortgage Redemption Statement (from seller’s lender)
Local Authority, Drainage, Environmental, Chancel searches (£300–£500)	Draft Contract issued to buyer’s solicitor
RICS Survey Report (£400–£1,200)	–
Mortgage Valuation Report (by lender)	–
Full Mortgage Offer (3–6 weeks after application)	–

Common delays: council search backlog, missing certificates, lender backlog.

STAGE 5 – Enquiries (Weeks 4–8)

Action	Description
Buyer’s solicitor raises enquiries	Clarifies issues from searches and TA forms
Seller replies	May involve gathering missing guarantees or permissions
Further enquiries	Triggered if responses incomplete
Updated survey quotes	If defects found (damp, structure, roof)

Delay driver: slow seller replies or unclear paperwork.

STAGE 6 – Pre-Exchange (Weeks 8–12)

Seller provides:

• Signed Contract of Sale.
• Updated Completion Statement showing net proceeds.

Buyer provides:

• Signed Contract.
• Reviewed and signed TR1 Transfer Deed.
• Buildings Insurance Certificate (proof required by lender).
• Deposit Payment (usually 10%) per solicitor instructions.
• Confirmation of Final Mortgage Offer.
  

STAGE 7 – Exchange of Contracts

• Both conveyancers confirm exchange in writing.
• The completion date becomes legally binding.
• All parties now insured and committed.

Typical delay: lender final checks or missing signed TR1.

STAGE 8 – Between Exchange and Completion

Buyer Side	Seller Side
Solicitor prepares Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) form SDLT1	Confirms redemption figure with lender
Pre-completion searches (bankruptcy & priority)	Provides final meter readings
Final funds transfer request	Approves completion statement
TR1 signed in wet ink or digitally	–

Funds must clear the day before completion to avoid delay.

STAGE 9 – Completion Day

Buyer	Seller
Solicitor sends purchase funds	Solicitor confirms receipt
Keys released via estate agent	Mortgage redeemed
Completion confirmation sent	Property legally transferred
SDLT return submitted within 14 days (by solicitor)	–

Average bank transfer time: same-day CHAPS (£25 fee on average).

STAGE 10 – Post-Completion (Weeks 12+)

Buyer Responsibilities	Seller Outcome
Solicitor submits Land Registry application (£200–£1,000 fee based on price)	Receives final sale proceeds
Title updated; new Title Number issued (can take 4–8 weeks)	Confirmation that property removed from their ownership
Copies of TR1 and Title Register sent to buyer	–

Typical Costs Overview

Category	Range (excluding VAT)	Notes
ID & AML Checks	£10–£30	per person
Property Searches	£300–£500	varies by council
Survey (Level 2 / 3)	£400–£1,200	optional but recommended
Leasehold Pack	£200–£500	seller cost
Land Registry Fee	£200–£1,000	buyer cost
SDLT	Variable	due within 14 days of completion

2025 Digital Conveyancing Reform

The government’s ongoing Home Buying & Selling Reform Programme aims to digitise core documents:

• Secure Digital ID verification and proof-of-funds tools.
• Pre-listing TA6 and title data made available upfront.
• e-Signatures for TR1 and contract exchange.
• Real-time Land Registry integration.

Expected benefit: reduce average timeline from 16 weeks → 10 weeks.

See Government Homebuying Reform 2025.

Summary Checklist: All Documents at a Glance

Stage	Key Documents	Provided By	Delay Risk
1	EPC, Listing, Agent Contract	Seller	Missing EPC
2	MoS, AIP, ID, Proof of Funds	Both	AML checks
3	TA6, TA10, Certificates	Seller	Missing guarantees
4	Searches, Mortgage Offer, Survey	Buyer	Council delays
5	Enquiry Replies	Both	Slow responses
6	Signed Contract, TR1, Insurance	Buyer	Lender delays
7	Exchange Confirmation	Solicitors	–
8	SDLT Form, Funds Transfer	Buyer	Bank delays
9	Completion Confirmation	Both	Transfer timing
10	Land Registry Update	Buyer’s Solicitor	Registry backlog

Related Guides

• Steps to Complete a House Purchase in England
• Why Does It Take So Long to Complete on a House in England
• Pre-Exchange Checklist for Buyers

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