Get ‘Sale Ready’: How to Speed Up Your Sale

If you are planning to sell, there's one thing you can do right now that will make more difference to your timeline and stress levels than almost anything else: get your paperwork in order as you come to the market, i.e. before you accept an offer, not after.

That's the thinking behind our ‘Sale Ready’ process.  Our unique offering is a simple way of helping you get ahead of the questions your conveyancer will almost certainly ask.

Why this matters

Most of the delays we see in a sale don't come from the buyer, the chain, or the mortgage — they come from paperwork. Solicitors need proof that work on the property was done properly and signed off: gas safety certificates, electrical records, planning permissions, guarantees. Chasing these documents after an offer has been accepted is one of the most common causes of delay, and it's often the most frustrating part of the process for everyone involved.

Collate them now, and your sale can move through conveyancing far faster once you're under offer.

What to gather

We'll send you a full checklist, but broadly, please pull together copies of anything that applies to your property, including:

• EPCs
• Old surveys and title deeds
• Boiler and gas safety records
• Electrical certificates
• FENSA and HETAS certificates
• Guarantees for any works carried out (damp proofing, timber treatment, cavity wall insulation, and similar)
• Building control and planning certificates
• Private drainage documentation (where applicable)

The full checklist essentially covers anything a solicitor is likely to ask you to prove.

Not sure whether something applies to you?  Send it to us anyway.  We'd rather check than have it cause a delay later.

The benefit to you

Being Sale Ready means fewer delays once you accept an offer, and a smoother path to exchange and completion. It's a small bit of preparation now that can save you weeks later — often the difference between an exchange in weeks and one that drags on for months.

Instruct your solicitor as you come to the market — not when you accept an offer

One of the biggest hold-ups in any sale is the two weeks it typically takes to onboard with a solicitor once an offer has been agreed.

We strongly encourage you to instruct your solicitor as you come to market, and to complete your TA6 (Property Information Form) and TA10 (Fittings and Contents Form) in advance.

That way, the moment your sale is agreed, draft contracts and the Law Society Protocol forms can go out to your buyer's solicitor the same day — not two or three weeks later, once you've signed up, received the paperwork, completed it, and returned it. It really is a worthwhile exercise.

Where to store it all: MyHome Vault

Once you've gathered everything, you need somewhere secure to keep it. That's where MyHome comes in.

MyHome is a new on-line system, powered by My Porta, and provides your own secure document vault for the whole sale; EPCs, surveys, title deeds, boiler records, guarantees, and everything else on the checklist — all stored in one place and shareable with your solicitor in a tap. No more chasing paperwork at the worst possible moment.

MyHome costs £4.99 per month with no tie-in period, and we cover your first month for you. You can cancel any time.

Scan to sign up, or visit: vip.myporta.ai/burnetts-ea

The takeaway

The more of this you've done before you're under offer, the faster your sale can move to exchange.

Questions about what to gather, or need a hand with MyHome? Just get in touch — we're happy to help.