How to speed up your property sale
Cooper Adams constantly strives to speed up and smooth the property buying and selling process.
At Cooper Adams we've taken a closer look at the current property buying and selling process and we're determined to make it more convenient for you. Our aim is to significantly reduce the time it takes to sell a property and provide more information upfront to potential buyers. This means fewer sales falling through with less stress and uncertainty for you.
Preparing information before a sale is agreed shaves many weeks off the sale time. A potential buyer reading all the information about the property means nothing is hidden that could put them off at a later date. Transparency is much smarter for all.
This document mentions the term enquiries, what are enquiries?
When you're buying or selling a house in the UK, "enquiries" are questions that the buyer or their conveyancer/solicitor asks the seller or their conveyancer/solicitor about the property. These questions help find out important details like if there are any problems with the property or special conditions for the sale. The seller or their conveyancer/solicitor has to give honest and detailed answers to these questions to make sure everyone knows what's happening. Enquiries can take a conveyancer/solicitor over two months to complete, a full information pack will reduce most enquiries.
What is a 'Buyer Information Pack'
Usually, after a sale is agreed, it's panic stations. A seller and buyer are asked to source a solicitor and instruct them. Then there’s a load of paperwork and ID checks to go through before things can officially get moving on the property sale/purchase. Waiting on these necessary forms and documents holds up a sale and adds weeks on to the process.
Our 'Pre Contract Pack' is also referred to as 'Supporting Documents' - this will minimise enquiries (saving solicitors time, which can typically hold up a sale by weeks or months)
Instead of waiting until an offer has been agreed upon, we offer a unique service to help our sellers go through all the necessary paperwork right at the beginning, before we start to market their property. The documents we help prepare include the following:
- Property information form (TA6) TA stands for Transaction
- Leasehold information form (TA7) if applicable
- Fixtures and fittings form (TA10)
At Cooper Adams, we've always believed in going the extra mile, while The Government and National Trading Standards require certain material information to be provided to potential buyers upfront. We've always provided as much information as possible, far outweighing any requirements. This proactive approach is our way of showing you how much we value your time and decision-making process.
By getting this ‘buyer information pack’ ready right at the start, we are prepped to share it with our seller’s solicitor and reduce potential delays. This means that once a sale is agreed, we can hit the ground running, potentially saving weeks or even months in the process.
We still recommend that a seller instructs their solicitor early to open the file (Opening a file in legal jargon means - customer due diligence, accepting terms, onboarding, verification of identity, verification of funds, anti-money laundering) and do the ID checks. The solicitor won't need to obtain Title TA6, TA7, or TA10 as we can email them the link which will also contain other documents relating to the property. This pack is available to the seller, the buyer, and their respective solicitors.
What does a 'Buyer Information Pack' contain?
Our (Law Society Approved) Buyer Information Pack is packed with information on the property that will help secure a serious and committed buyer. Here’s what it contains:
Marketing Information
- Property Brochure (including photos, property description, square footage, £ per sq foot, whole plot size, local authority, council tax band and cost, tenure, estate fees, if lease the length, ground rent, maintenance fees and what's included) - supplied by Cooper Adams
- Floor plan - supplied by Cooper Adams
- Location map - supplied by Cooper Adams
- Material Information Sheet (all estate agents have a legal duty to have this available before a viewing is booked) - Council Tax, Tenure, Physical characteristics of the property, Property type, Material type/materials used in construction, Number and types of rooms, Utilities, Electricity supply, Water supply, Sewerage, Heating, Broadband, Mobile signal/coverage, Parking, Building safety, Restrictions, Rights and easements, Flood risk, Coastal erosion risk, Planning Permission or proposal for development, Property accessibility/adaptations, Coalfield or mining area
- Walk around video - supplied by Cooper Adams
- Our general PIQ (Property Information Questionnaire) FAQ sheet about the property including things like rental value, rental yield, year built, distance to shops and park, meters, services, boiler, loft etc - supplied by Cooper Adams
- A report on -[Local sold prices, Title plan, Local mobile & broadband speeds, Planning history, Plot size & floor area, Pounds per square foot, Flood risk, Conservation areas, Local school reports, Leasehold info, Council tax, Energy Performance Certificate, Transport links and Transaction history.] - supplied by Cooper Adams and their partners 'Sprift'.
- Any Private estate/road fees and information i.e. most recent invoices and share certificates.
The legal bits
- Title Deeds and Plans / Office copy entries - In simple terms, UK Title Plans and Office Copy Entries are official documents that show who owns a piece of land or property and any legal details related to it. The Title Plan gives a map showing the boundaries of the land or property, while the Office Copy Entries provide written information about ownership, any restrictions, and other legal matters concerning the property. - supplied by Cooper Adams and their partners 'Gazeal'
- EPC - The energy performance certificate
- The legal TA6 - (TA stands for Transaction) Seller's Property Information form - Current Law Society edition - 32 pages of legally binding information on the property. - collated by Cooper Adams and their partners 'Gazeal'
- The legal TA7 Leasehold Information form - Current Law Society edition - 10 sections of legally binding information on the lease with all costs, if applicable. We also suggest copies of the following, if applicable, (a) recent correspondence and invoices from the managing agents. (b) Share certificate in the management company. (c) Any consents from the Freeholder to matters such as the installation of double glazing which may well be required under the terms of the Lease. - collated by Cooper Adams and their partners 'Gazeal'
- The legal TA10 - Fixtures and contents form - Current Law Society edition - A complete list of what is included in the sale.- collated by Cooper Adams and their partners 'Gazeal'
- We have a Supplemental Enquiries Questionnaire - this form answers most of the questions that arise during enquiries, including parts on Conservatories and drainage.
Additional information
Traditionally, solicitors 'raise enquiries' when they get a standard draft contract pack. We've looked at the majority of enquiries and added them to the pack, again speeding up the process. Of course, if there are ambiguities, some enquiries will need to be raised. We also suggest the sellers get their solicitors to check the pack for any gaps or enquiries that would need answering. We use a local solicitor who will check the pack for gaps - as part of their service. We recommend instructing your solicitor before marketing commences to be all ready when a sale is agreed.
The extra information we recommend including in the pack (if relevant) is:
- FENSA window certificates for windows installed after 1 April 2002. A FENSA window certificate is a document issued in the UK by FENSA (Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme) to confirm that replacement windows and doors installed in a property meet building regulations. It serves as proof that the installation complies with standards for energy efficiency, safety, and ventilation. This certificate is essential when selling a property as it assures potential buyers that the windows and doors have been installed correctly and meet legal requirements.
- Wall or loft Insulation documents.
- Gas safety certificates as well as boiler or heating documents or servicing records.
- Electrical work certificates.
- Any building insurance claims and information.
- Shared driveway or private road contributions.
- Warranties, guarantees or receipts for any fixtures fittings or works done on the property, including kitchens and bathrooms.
- Details on any extra land included.
- Details on works done if a Listed building.
- Solar panel / battery documents with proof of ownership and feed-in tariffs.
- Information on extensions and conservatories with planning and building regulation completion certificates or council documents to say not needed, and as much info as possible.
- Conservatory information - we have a form in our SUPPLEMENTAL ENQUIRIES QUESTIONNAIRE.
- Non-mains drainage and Septic tank documents, including servicing.
- Timber treatment guarantees (rot or infestation).
- Damp proof work guarantees.
- TPO / Tree Preservation Order paperwork.
- NHBC or new build warranty paperwork if under 10 years old.
- Burglar alarm documents and service history.
- If Leasehold: (a) Any recent correspondence and invoices from the managing agents. (b) Share certificate in the management company. (c) Any consents from the Freeholder to matters such as the installation of double glazing which may well be required under the terms of the Lease.
- Swimming pool and pool heating apparatus service history.
We consistently look at other enquiries a buyer's solicitor raises and add these documents to our lists. Cooper Adams will help our sellers with each item on the list and any form filling, providing our experienced advice at all times.
This process speeds up transaction times by multiple weeks.
Who can see the Buyer Information Pack?
Some of this information is publicly available on our website for each property, and some of it we can email a potential buyer as it could be more private. Security is paramount for us.
The pack is also available by invitation to potential buyers and their solicitors before they offer. An educated buyer is more secure knowing a property's ins and outs before any offer is accepted.
How much does a Buyer Information Pack cost?
There is no charge for Cooper Adams to organise this pack and securely store it electronically.
If you have any questions about our Buyer Information Packs, please contact the team or phone 01903 791 727.
Want to reduce the risk of a fall through even further? Have a look at our Reservation Agreements.