I am Selling My Property: What Documents Do I Need?

Both buyers and sellers in an England and Wales residential conveyancing transaction must produce identity documents, evidence of funds, and signed contract documents before their solicitor can proceed. Sellers additionally complete the Law Society’s protocol forms, most prominently the TA6 Property Information Form (6th edition, 2025), disclosing material facts about the property. Your solicitor will tell you exactly which documents apply to your transaction, but assembling them early cuts delays considerably.

Key Points

• Both buyers and sellers must provide proof of identity and address before their solicitor can open a file, with digital identity verification now available through certified services listed on the government’s Digital Verification Services register.
• Sellers in England and Wales must complete the TA6 Property Information Form (6th edition, 2025), mandatory for Conveyancing Quality Scheme firms from 30 March 2026, along with the TA10 Fixtures and Contents Form and, for leasehold properties, the TA7 Leasehold Information Form.
• Buyers purchasing with a mortgage must produce their formal mortgage offer, and all buyers must provide evidence of their source of funds to satisfy anti-money laundering requirements under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017.
• The transfer deed (TR1) transfers legal title from seller to buyer at completion, and the buyer’s solicitor lodges an application with HM Land Registry to register the change of ownership.
• Stamp Duty Land Tax thresholds changed on 1 April 2025: standard residential buyers pay 0% on the first £125,000 and first-time buyers pay 0% up to £300,000, affecting the SDLT return that must be filed on completion.

Gathering the right documents is one of the most practical things you can do to speed up your conveyancing transaction. The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 require your solicitor to verify your identity and the source of your funds before they can act, and they cannot exchange contracts until those checks are complete. Getting everything together before your solicitor asks for it removes one of the most common causes of delay.

The documents fall into three broad categories: identity and anti-money laundering documents (required by all parties), property-specific information forms (primarily completed by the seller), and legal and financial documents that move the transaction from instruction through to completion. Leasehold transactions attract an additional layer of documentation relating to the lease and the management of the building.

Whether you are buying or selling a home in Nottingham or anywhere else in England and Wales, the process is the same. Your solicitor will send you a client-care letter and questionnaire at the outset setting out the documents they need, but knowing what to expect in advance means you can start pulling things together from day one.

Identity Verification and Anti-Money Laundering Documents

Every solicitor instructed on a residential conveyancing transaction must carry out customer due diligence checks under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017. This applies to buyers and sellers alike and must be done before the solicitor opens a file.

For proof of identity, you will typically need one document from a recognised list of government-issued photo identification. A current, signed passport or a current photocard driving licence are the most common options. For proof of address, you will need a document dated within the last three months: a utility bill, bank or building society statement, council tax bill for the current year, or a mortgage statement are all generally accepted. Mobile phone bills are not.

Your solicitor must also satisfy themselves as to the source of your funds. If you are a buyer, this means providing bank statements, usually covering the last three to six months, to show how you accumulated your deposit. Where funds have come from a gift, the donor must provide their own identity documents and evidence of how they obtained the money. Where funds come from the sale of another asset, a closing statement or sale confirmation may be required.

Solicitors now have increasing flexibility in how they conduct these checks. In February 2026, HM Treasury and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology published joint official guidance confirming that digital identity services certified under the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework and listed on the government’s Digital Verification Services (DVS) Register can satisfy the identity verification requirements under Regulation 28 of the Money Laundering Regulations. This means your solicitor may use a certified digital verification service rather than relying solely on physical documents presented in person. Services not certified and not listed on the DVS Register cannot reliably be treated as meeting the regulatory standard. The Legal Sector Affinity Group’s AML guidance for the legal sector, updated and approved by HM Treasury in April 2025, confirms that firms using electronic identification and verification tools must document the role of the tool, the data sources it uses, and the circumstances in which it is appropriate.

Suppose a Nottingham homeowner with a £250,000 mortgage is selling their property while simultaneously buying a new home. Their solicitor will need to verify their identity and confirm the source of the equity from the sale, as well as any additional savings they are contributing to the purchase. A certified digital verification service may allow the client to complete the identity check remotely rather than visiting the office, which is a practical convenience for clients with busy schedules, though the solicitor remains responsible for the adequacy of the checks.

Documents the Seller Must Provide

The seller’s solicitor prepares the draft contract pack, which forms the foundation of the transaction. Within that pack, the seller completes a set of standard Law Society protocol forms.

The most significant is the TA6 Property Information Form, which has been updated to its 6th edition (2025). Use of the 6th edition became mandatory for firms accredited with the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme from 30 March 2026, at which point earlier editions were withdrawn. The TA6 covers property-specific matters in detail: boundaries and disputes with neighbours, planning permissions and building regulation consents for any alterations, notices received from third parties, details of services and utilities, and information about any covenants affecting the property. The seller, and in joint ownership both sellers, must complete the form personally and sign it. Getting this right is important: providing inaccurate or misleading information can expose the seller to claims from the buyer.

Alongside the TA6, every transaction requires a TA10 Fixtures and Contents Form. This confirms which items the seller is leaving at the property and which they are taking with them. Disputes over what was included in the sale, whether a particular light fitting, a fitted kitchen appliance, or a garden shed, are among the most avoidable causes of friction at completion.

Where the property is leasehold, the seller must also complete a TA7 Leasehold Information Form. This covers the terms of the lease, the identity of the landlord and managing agent, service charge accounts, any outstanding disputes, and whether consent is required for the transfer. The seller’s solicitor will also request a management pack from the managing agent or landlord, which typically includes up-to-date service charge accounts, insurance details, and a statement of any arrears.

The seller’s solicitor will obtain official copies of the title register and title plan from HM Land Registry. For any property not yet registered, still possible for some older properties, the seller must produce their title deeds.

Legal and Financial Documents Needed to Complete

Once the contract is agreed, both parties must sign it. The exchange of contracts creates a legally binding obligation to proceed on an agreed completion date, so all financial arrangements must be in place before that point.

The buyer must produce their formal mortgage offer from their lender and must have arranged buildings insurance; insurers generally require cover to begin from exchange of contracts. The buyer’s solicitor will also need to see the results of the property searches they commission on the buyer’s behalf: local authority searches, drainage and water searches, and environmental searches are standard. These are not documents the buyer provides; they are documents the solicitor obtains and reports on.

The transfer deed, known as the TR1 form, is the document that transfers legal title from seller to buyer. The seller’s solicitor prepares it, and it is signed before completion. After completion, the buyer’s solicitor registers the transfer at HM Land Registry using an AP1 application form, or an FR1 if the property is being registered for the first time.

A Stamp Duty Land Tax return must be filed with HMRC on every residential property transaction in England, even where no SDLT is payable. From 1 April 2025, the standard residential SDLT rates reverted to their previous levels: 0% on the first £125,000, 2% on the portion from £125,001 to £250,000, 5% on the portion from £250,001 to £925,000, 10% on the portion from £925,001 to £1.5 million, and 12% on anything above that. First-time buyers benefit from relief: they pay 0% up to £300,000 and 5% on the portion from £300,001 to £500,000, with no relief available if the price exceeds £500,000. Your solicitor handles the SDLT return, but you will be asked to sign a declaration confirming its accuracy.

Where a buyer purchases without a solicitor representing them (uncommon, but possible in some private transactions), HM Land Registry requires that an ID1 form is completed and certified by an approved verifier to confirm identity. Further information about ID1 forms for conveyancing is available on the Smalleys website for those in that position.

If you are currently thinking about a property transaction in Arnold or the wider Nottingham area, the team at Smalleys Solicitors can advise you on exactly which documents apply to your circumstances and help you prepare them in the right order. Early preparation is the single most effective step you can take to avoid the delays that often push transactions past expected timescales. To discuss your residential conveyancing requirements with a member of the team, contact Smalleys Solicitors directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my solicitor verify my identity online?

Yes, your solicitor can use a certified digital verification service to confirm your identity remotely, provided the service is certified under the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework and listed on the government’s DVS Register. HM Treasury and DSIT confirmed in February 2026 that certified services satisfy the identity verification requirements under Regulation 28 of the Money Laundering Regulations. Not all firms use digital verification, so check with your solicitor at the outset whether they offer this option.

What is the TA6 form?

The TA6 Property Information Form is a standard Law Society document completed by the seller to disclose material information about a property to the buyer. The current version is the 6th edition (2025), mandatory for Conveyancing Quality Scheme firms from 30 March 2026. It covers boundaries, planning history, disputes, services, and covenants, among other matters. The seller, and both sellers in a joint ownership, must complete and sign it personally, as only they have the direct knowledge required.

How many bank statements will my solicitor need?

Most solicitors ask for three to six months of bank statements from buyers to verify the source of their deposit funds. The precise period depends on your circumstances: if your deposit has been saved gradually, six months of statements showing the accumulation may be required; if funds have arrived recently from a specific source such as a property sale, you will need to explain and evidence that source separately. There is no single fixed rule, as solicitors apply a risk-based approach under the Money Laundering Regulations.

Must I use a solicitor for the TR1?

No, there is no legal requirement to instruct a solicitor to complete a TR1, though it is strongly advisable. If you are buying with a mortgage, your lender will almost certainly insist on a qualified solicitor or licensed conveyancer acting. Where a buyer submits an application to HM Land Registry without a solicitor, they must provide a completed ID1 identity verification form. Errors in the TR1 or in the registration application can cause significant delays or title defects that are costly to correct.

When do I need to provide my documents?

Your solicitor needs your identity and source-of-funds documents before they can open your file or carry out any work. The signed contract documents are needed before exchange, and your mortgage offer and buildings insurance must be in place at the point of exchange. Providing your identity documents and bank statements as soon as you instruct your solicitor, rather than waiting to be asked, is one of the most effective ways to avoid delays at the start of a transaction.

About the Author

This article was reviewed by Pritpal Chahal (SRA number 314584), Solicitor and CEO of Smalleys Solicitors. Pritpal is one of the original founders of the Askews Group, of which Smalleys forms part, with more than 20 years’ experience in commercial and conveyancing work. He retains his practising certificate and continues to advise on complicated business transactions, with a particular focus on business fraud, trading standards, mortgage fraud and VAT fraud cases. Pritpal also leads on the firm’s SRA compliance work. Smalleys Solicitors is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under SRA number 639164.