Selling a home

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1. Overview

Selling a home takes about 5 months on average. The process can take longer if you바카라 사이트™re part of a chain of buyers and sellers. 

If you바카라 사이트™re also buying a home, read the guide to buying your home.

To sell your home, you바카라 사이트™ll need to:

• check how much you owe on your mortgage (if you have one)
• find out how much your home is worth
• decide whether to use an estate agent to sell your home 
• choose a solicitor or conveyancer who will do the legal work involved in transferring ownership
• give potential buyers the right paperwork, including an Energy Performance Certificate for your home
• decide on a selling price 
• accept or negotiate an offer 
• exchange contracts 
• transfer ownership and move out (called 바카라 사이트˜completion바카라 사이트™)

This guide is about selling a home in England and Wales. Find out how to and how to .

Selling a rented property 

If you바카라 사이트™re selling a property you rent out to tenants, you바카라 사이트™ll also need to:

• check if you need to pay Capital Gains Tax
• give your tenants notice and end the tenancy (if needed) 

You can get help from a solicitor.

Selling a property for someone else

There may be extra steps to sell a property if:

• the other owner has lost mental capacity
• you바카라 사이트™re selling someone바카라 사이트™s home after they die (through 바카라 사이트˜probate바카라 사이트™)  
• you바카라 사이트™re selling for someone else using power of attorney

Check what you need to do to sell a property for someone else.

Selling a specialist retirement property

If your home is a specialist retirement property, you바카라 사이트™ll need to consider if:

• any charges or exit fees need to be paid
• there are any conditions on the sale of the property

Protecting yourself from fraud

There바카라 사이트™s a risk of fraud when selling a home as this involves transferring large sums of money. It바카라 사이트™s important to check that you:

• are speaking to or emailing the person or business you think it is
• transfer money to the correct bank account/s 
• do not reveal too much personal information on social media

Find out how to protect your property from fraud.

You can also speak to your legal professional for help and advice about property fraud.

2. Preparing to sell

If you have a mortgage on the property you바카라 사이트™re selling, you바카라 사이트™ll need to move the mortgage to your new property, or pay it off.

Check how much it costs to sell

Contact your mortgage lender to check:

• how much mortgage you owe
• if there are early repayment charges
• if there are fees to move your mortgage

You may also need to pay:

• any other outstanding debts secured against your home
• estate agent fees
• legal fees
• removal costs
• Capital Gains Tax if the property is not your main home or includes a lot of land
• for essential home repairs or improvements
• resolving issues in the deeds to the property

You can find a list of costs on the .

Find out how much your home is worth

You바카라 사이트™ll need to find out how much your home is worth so you can compare it to the outstanding balance on your mortgage and other moving costs. 

Knowing the value of your property will also help you to set the right asking price when you바카라 사이트™re ready to sell. 

You can find out how much your home is worth by:

• researching local house prices online 
• finding out what homes in your area recently sold for using
• asking estate agents to value your home 

You may want to get a formal home valuation. They are carried out by a qualified valuer who will charge for this service. 

Get the paperwork you바카라 사이트™ll need together 

Before you put your home on the market, you바카라 사이트™ll need to make sure you have all the right paperwork to give to a prospective buyer. 

This might include:

• property title deeds
• information on the type of ownership the property has (tenure) - freehold or leasehold
• an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
• planning permission and building regulation certificates
• FENSA or CERTASS certificates for windows
• guarantees, warranties and surveys
• electrical checks
• party wall agreements 

Get help from a professional

An estate agent and a legal professional can help you gather this information.

Identity checks 

You바카라 사이트™ll also need to prove your identity and your address to your:

• estate agent
• solicitor or conveyancer
• mortgage lender

3. Energy Performance Certificates

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) tells you how energy efficient a property is. You must have an EPC when you바카라 사이트™re: 

• selling a property
• renting out a property
• building a new property

You must order an EPC for potential buyers and tenants before you market your property to sell or rent.

In Scotland, you must display the EPC somewhere in the property, for example in the meter cupboard or next to the boiler.

An EPC contains:

• information about a property바카라 사이트™s energy use and typical energy costs
• steps to improve a property바카라 사이트™s energy efficiency and save money

An EPC gives a property an energy efficiency rating from A (best) to G (worst) and is valid for 10 years.

Check if a property has a valid EPC

It바카라 사이트™s free to check if a property has a valid EPC.

How to get an EPC

If your property does not have an EPC or it has expired, you바카라 사이트™ll need a new one before you get your property ready to sell or rent. 

You바카라 사이트™ll need to pay for an EPC from an accredited assessor. Your estate agent may be able to help arrange this.

You can be fined if you do not get an EPC when you need one.

The person selling the house, the landlord or the letting agent must show you the EPC if you바카라 사이트™re buying or renting.

When you do not need an EPC

You do not need an EPC for:

• temporary buildings that will be used for less than 2 years
• stand-alone buildings with total useful floor space of less than 50 square metres
• industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings that do not use a lot of energy
• some buildings that are due to be demolished
• holiday accommodation that바카라 사이트™s rented out for less than 4 months a year or is let under a licence to occupy
• listed buildings - you should get advice from your local authority conservation officer if the work would alter the building바카라 사이트™s character
• residential buildings intended to be used less than 4 months a year
• places of worship

Get help finding an EPC or assessor

Contact the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local 바카라 사이트 (MHCLG) if you need help with finding an EPC or accredited assessor.

MHCLG
mhclg.digital-services@communities.gov.uk
Telephone: 020 3829 0748
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

4. Getting an estate agent

You can sell your home yourself or use an online, high street or hybrid estate agent.

If you decide to use an estate agent, you must sign a legally binding contract with them. 

Fees

Check your contract with the estate agent to find out:

• how much they charge
• what바카라 사이트™s included in their fee

If you use more than one estate agent, you may need to pay fees to more than one of them when your home sells (called dual fees). This will depend on the type of contract you sign with the estate agent and whether they have sole selling rights to your home.

You must stick to the terms of the contract or you could be taken to court.

Estate agents are also legally obliged to pass on any other offers for your home right up to when contracts are exchanged.

Recommendations from estate agents or mortgage lenders

Your estate agent and mortgage lenders might recommend legal professionals, mortgage brokers or surveyors to you.

You must be told if the estate agent or mortgage lender gets a payment (a 바카라 사이트˜referral fee바카라 사이트™) from the company they바카라 사이트™re recommending.

You do not have to use the company that바카라 사이트™s been recommended to you.

5. Finding a solicitor or conveyancer

A legal professional can handle the legal work involved in transferring the ownership of your home (conveyancing). They can advise you on the different stages before you put your home on the market. However, you can choose to do your own conveyancing.

There are various legal professionals who are qualified to carry out conveyancing work:

Check that your legal professional is regulated by the appropriate body.

6. Offers and negotiations

Choosing a buyer

Buyers can make offers verbally (over the phone or in person) or in writing. 

If you바카라 사이트™re using an estate agent to sell your home, buyers must make an offer through them. Your estate agent must inform you of any offers made. 

If you바카라 사이트™re selling your home privately, buyers can make offers directly to you. 

During this stage, negotiations may take place between you and the buyer.

An offer is not legally binding in England and Wales until contracts are exchanged.

Enquiries

The buyer바카라 사이트™s solicitor or conveyancer will ask you questions about:

• the title
• searches
• the mortgage offer
• the property 
• the transaction 

A legal professional can advise you on how you should answer these if you바카라 사이트™re not sure. 

Accepting an offer

Once you바카라 사이트™ve accepted an offer, the buyer바카라 사이트™s solicitor or conveyancer will arrange searches and a review of the property바카라 사이트™s title. 

Your property is not legally sold until you바카라 사이트™ve exchanged written contracts with the buyer.

7. Transferring ownership (conveyancing)

After you바카라 사이트™ve accepted an offer, you바카라 사이트™re responsible for drawing up a legal contract to transfer ownership.

The contract needs to include details about:

• the sale price
• the property boundaries
• which fixtures and fittings (like carpets and kitchen units) are included
• any legal restrictions or rights, like public footpaths or rules about using the property
• any planning restrictions
• services to the property, like drainage and gas
• when the sale will complete

If you바카라 사이트™ve hired a solicitor or conveyancer, they will:

• draft the initial contract
• answer questions from the buyer바카라 사이트™s solicitor or conveyancer (with your help)
• negotiate the details of the contract if necessary

Exchanging contracts

When both you and the buyer are happy with the contract, you바카라 사이트™ll both sign final copies and send them to each other. 

The agreement to sell and buy is then legally binding. Usually, neither of you can pull out at this point without paying compensation.

Completion

Once you exchange contracts and deal with any remaining checks the buyer has asked for, their solicitor or conveyancer will transfer the money.

Your solicitor or conveyancer will then pay off:

• the mortgage
• any secured debts (if you have them)
• stamp duty (if you바카라 사이트™re buying another property)
• any outstanding estate agent fees (if you바카라 사이트™ve used one)
• services charges (if relevant)
• their fee as your legal representative

The remaining balance will then be sent to your account. You바카라 사이트™ll also need to send the legal documents needed to transfer ownership to the buyer. 

You must leave the property in the state agreed in the contract when you move out. 

Citizens Advice has more advice about .

Capital Gains Tax

You do not pay Capital Gains Tax when you sell (or 바카라 사이트˜dispose of바카라 사이트™) your home if all of the following apply:  

• you바카라 사이트™ve lived in it as your main home for all the time you바카라 사이트™ve owned it  
• you have not let part of it out or used part of it for business only  
• the grounds, including the buildings, are smaller than 5,000 square metres (just over an acre)

This is because you automatically get a tax relief called Private Residence Relief. You do not need to do anything.

If you do not meet all these criteria you may have to pay some Capital Gains Tax.

8. Selling a property for someone else

You can contact a legal professional if you need help selling a property in special circumstances.

Selling a home if the other owner has lost mental capacity

You바카라 사이트™ll have to apply to the Court of Protection if you want to sell the property but the other owner has lost mental capacity. Losing mental capacity means someone cannot make a decision for themselves at the time it needs to be made.

Selling a home after an owner has died

Probate is the legal right to deal with someone바카라 사이트™s property, money and possessions (their 바카라 사이트˜estate바카라 사이트™) when they die.

Check if you need to apply for probate.

Selling under power of attorney

A power of attorney gives someone else the right to make or help make decisions about someone else바카라 사이트™s property, including selling their home.

Selling property under power of attorney will depend upon what type of power of attorney is in place - a lasting power of attorney or an enduring power of attorney.

9. Making a complaint

You can make a complaint to a company involved in the sale if you바카라 사이트™re unhappy with their service. Follow the company바카라 사이트™s complaints procedure.

If they do not respond or you바카라 사이트™re not happy with their response, you can complain to the relevant ombudsman service or scheme. 

That ombudsman will investigate the complaint for free.

Complain about an estate agent

You can complain to one of the following: 

Ask the estate agent which scheme they belong to. 

has more advice on how to make a complaint about an estate agent. 

Complain about a legal professional 

Contact .

has more advice on how to make a complaint about a solicitor or conveyancer.

Complain about a mortgage lender

Contact .