Seller document checklist

Title and authority to sell

• Title register, title plan and any deeds heldNote the address and each title number covering the sale. Keep the copies and any documents they refer to together. A Land Registry title plan shows general boundaries; ask your solicitor about any uncertainty over the land included.
• The lease if you own a leasehold interestFind your own lease, later variations and any landlord correspondence about a transfer. Record the term and ground rent where known. Keep this separate from leases granted to your tenants; your solicitor can check consent requirements.
• Owner and decision-making detailsRecord who owns the property and who is authorised to discuss a sale. Tell your solicitor if a company, trust, estate or several owners are involved, so they can identify the authority documents needed. Do not send identity documents with the initial enquiry.
• Access rights, restrictions and known title issuesGather documents about shared roads, parking, services, rights of way and restrictive covenants. Note any lender involvement or known boundary or access dispute for your solicitor to review. Distinguish space you own from space you only have permission to use.

Occupation, leases and income

• A separate occupation record for each partList each unit, floor or other space and whether it is let, vacant or used by your business. For a mixed-use building, show the shop and any residential accommodation separately. Include informal occupation that needs checking.
• Leases, licences and later agreementsKeep available signed leases and licences with their plans, variations, side letters, rent review memoranda and any deposit or guarantee documents. Identify missing agreements rather than assuming an old lease still describes the full arrangement.
• A rent and payment summary for each lettingShow the rent stated in the agreement, rent actually received, payment frequency, concessions and any arrears or dispute. Identify deposits separately from rent. A summary is enough to prepare; do not send tenant bank details or bank statements with the enquiry.
• Key dates, notices and occupation correspondenceGather break, review and expiry dates together with any renewal, surrender or other notices and correspondence. Ask your solicitor to check the position before promising vacant possession. An empty building alone does not establish that an occupier's rights have ended.

Plans, use and alterations

• Site plans, floor plans and available measurementsUse plans to show the building, yard, parking, entrances and shared areas. State the date and source of floor areas, and mark estimates clearly. Explain any difference between a plan and the current layout.
• Planning decisions and records of the current useGather decision notices, approved plans, conditions and any lawful development certificates already held. Note application references and the council concerned. Check uncertain uses or proposed changes with the council or a planning adviser rather than assuming conversion is permitted.
• Building work approvals and completion recordsFind available building control approvals, completion certificates, warranties and guarantees for alterations or extensions. Planning permission and building regulations approval are separate matters. Flag missing records to your solicitor or building adviser.

Energy, condition and existing reports

• The EPC and its recommendation report, if heldRecord the certificate date and which premises it covers. An EPC is generally needed for a commercial property sale in England, subject to exemptions. Check your building's position with an accredited non-domestic energy assessor before marketing.
• Existing surveys and records of known problemsBring together surveys, repair quotations and any structural, drainage, flood or environmental reports already held. Note their dates, areas covered and any work completed since. You do not need to commission a survey just to make an enquiry.
• Available asbestos recordsLocate any survey, register and management plan, and identify who keeps them. Record known gaps for a competent asbestos specialist to review. Gathering sale information does not replace ongoing asbestos management responsibilities.
• Available fire safety and equipment maintenance recordsGather the fire risk assessment and relevant records for alarms, lifts, heating, electrical installations or other building equipment where held. Identify the person or managing agent responsible for shared areas and any outstanding recommendations. Specialist safety checks remain separate from this sale checklist.

Running costs and shared responsibilities

• The latest business rates informationKeep the current bill and any correspondence about relief or a challenge. Note who is billed for each part. Show relief as it currently applies rather than assuming the next owner or occupier will receive it.
• Service charges, estate costs and planned worksGather current budgets, recent accounts, demands and information about major works. For let or leasehold space, keep the documents showing who pays, what can be recovered and any disputed amounts; your solicitor can check the lease terms.
• Insurance, utilities and maintenance costsPrepare a summary of current property costs and the contracts supporting them. Note shared supplies, disconnected services and contracts that need review on a sale. Separate property expenses from your business's wider trading costs.

What is being sold and the arrangements

• A list of what will stay or be removedIdentify fixtures, machinery, equipment and other items you intend to include or retain. Distinguish the property sale from any proposed sale of a trading business. Your solicitor should record the agreed position in the sale documents.
• Adviser details and existing sale instructionsKeep your solicitor's details, any existing valuation or marketing particulars and any agency or introduction agreement. Check existing terms before authorising another introduction. Our service is buyer introductions; any work, fees and permission to share details are agreed before proceeding.
• Sale timing, access arrangements and missing informationNote your preferred timing, any business move or occupier arrangements, and who can arrange viewings. List documents you cannot find and who may hold them. Start an enquiry with the postcode, property type and contact details; agree a suitable way to supply confidential records later.

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