Selling Your Richmond Borough Property? How to Make the Process Smoother and Faster

Well, you get the picture. Their houses look marvellous, and buyers will be falling over each themselves and each other to pop in the sealed bids…

And yet, whilst sellers lend plenty of time, thought and effort to presentation, they seem to often (almost always) overlook a truly important factor: preparation for the actual sale process itself.

With property transactions currently taking an average of 118 days from sale agreed to completion (according to property data service TwentyEA), and in many cases well beyond this time, avoiding unnecessary delays is highly, highly advisable. 

Many of the delays we see, which can risk having disastrous consequences for the transaction and for a chain, stem from missing information or administrative hold-ups—issues that could be avoided with a little forward planning.

So, as you prepare your property for sale, ask yourself: What steps can I take to ensure a smooth transaction?

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Fortunately, at Bartlett and Partners, we’re here to help…

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1. Get Your Paperwork in Order Before Listing

One of the main reasons that causes delays in property sales is missing documentation (time and time again!). 

Before your property even goes on the market, take time to gather the following key documents:

• Title deeds – These are usually held digitally by your solicitor or mortgage lender. Copies can usually be purchased from Land Registry for just £3 
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) –  These are legally required for marketing your home anyway – so there should be no excuse. But, you’d be surprised. Find out if your home already has an EPC here.
• Building Regulations Certificates – If your property has had extensions, loft conversions or other structural work, make sure you have your Building Control approval, signed off and certified… OR, seek a Regularisation Certificate or a Certificate of Lawfulness if this was never done. Not sure? Ask your solicitor.
• FENSA Certificates – For any replacement windows or doors. If you can’t find one, check on getting a replacement certificate here.
• Gas Safety Certificate and EICR – Not legally required for a sale, but often requested by buyers and lenders – and in the greater scheme of things, relatively low cost compared to the rest of the sale fees. Maybe you won’t get asked for one – but just think how open and helpful you are as a seller if you proactively provide one. Plus, if either reveal problems, you might just save your life – or someone else’s.
• Planning permissions and warranties – For any building work done on the property.
• Boiler service history – A well-maintained boiler reassures buyers.
• Any guarantees – From damp-proofing to re-roofing, having a guarantee of work reassures buyers that they won’t run into future issues (and that corrective works have not cut corners just to get the property through a sale).

If you’re missing any of these, act now to obtain them from local authorities, previous contractors, or relevant bodies. Proactively addressing paperwork shortfalls can help avoid frustrating setbacks later.

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2. Selling a Leasehold Property? Plan Ahead

If your property is leasehold, securing all relevant leasehold information is vital. Delays in obtaining leasehold details are one of the main reasons sales collapse. Here’s what you can do:

✅ Request (and pay the fee for) a management pack from your freeholder or managing agent early. This includes:

• Service charge statements
• Ground rent details
• Information on major planned works
• Building insurance documents
• Any ongoing disputes

✅ Confirm your lease length. Mortgage lenders are wary of leases under 80 years. If yours is approaching this threshold, consider extending it before selling.

✅ Disclose any potential issues early. If there are disputes or planned major works, inform your estate agent so they can communicate this transparently to potential buyers.

Some management companies seem to take weeks or months to provide the necessary information, so don’t wait until you have a buyer; there is no reason not to start this process early.

3. Check for Restrictive Covenants

Some properties have restrictive covenants, which are legal conditions that may impact a buyer’s mortgage eligibility. Common examples include:

• Restrictions on extensions or structural changes
• Rules about operating a business from home
• Shared access agreements
• Parking restrictions (e.g., no caravans or boats allowed)

These can raise concerns for mortgage lenders, so if your property has any, discuss them with your solicitor and estate agent. An indemnity policy might be required to reassure buyers – you could take advice from your lawyer about whether it is worth putting one in place prior to a sale being agreed.

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4. Should You Order Searches in Advance?

Buyers typically order property searches after making an offer (local authority, environmental, drainage, etc.). However, in some cases, ordering searches in advance can:

• Speed up the conveyancing process
• Provide reassurance to buyers
• Identify and address any red flags early

This is particularly useful when selling in an area where searches are known to take a long time – and that is not necessarily true of Richmond Upon Thames, where they are normally back within one or two working weeks, some of the quickest in the country.

That being said, what it can do is stop missing searches being used by solicitors as an excuse for delays (not that we wish to cast aspersions…).

However, one important point to note is that your buyer’s solicitors, possibly at the behest of their lender’s solicitor, may insist on conducting their own searches. 

It is important therefore to weigh up the costs, the pros and the cons. If you want to look at undertaking personal searches (which we now call ‘regulated searches’), talk to a firm like X-Press Legal Services for advice.

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5. Be Transparent About Known Issues

If you are aware of any potential obstacles, such as historic subsidence, boundary disputes, or missing planning permissions, don’t attempt to hide them. It is actually the law that you need to be transparent, so I could just stop there; but on top of it being the law, it is also sensible. 

Solicitors will uncover these things during their checks, and if there is a mortgage involved you may just find the sale stops in its tracks – whereas if it were known upfront, the buyer could have spoken to their broker about the issue and the broker source the right lender.

Therefore, instead of running from these things, tackle potential concerns upfront by:

• Providing evidence of remedial work completed
• Obtaining indemnity insurance where needed
• Discussing solutions with your solicitor before listing the property

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Transparency reassures buyers and prevents unexpected issues from derailing the sale.

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6. Instruct a Solicitor Early

Many sellers wait until they have an offer before instructing a solicitor, but getting one involved from the outset can help:

• Identify missing documents early
• Resolve potential legal issues in advance
• Prepare contracts so they can be issued promptly

A proactive solicitor can make all the difference in ensuring a smooth sale. If you’re unsure who to use, your estate agent can recommend reliable local professionals.

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In Conclusion: Preparation is Key

We love a little catchy vignette to think about, so here we urge you to take on board about the Bartlett and Partners’  Three P’s of Smooth Selling: Prepare, Pre-empt, and Prevent 

• Prepare: Get your ducks in a row before you start.
• Pre-empt: Talk to your solicitor. What issues might cause delays or which could even be outright obstacles?
• Prevent: kill future problems off before they are something to even nip in the bud.

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You’ve put all that effort into making your home look its best, so don’t let missing paperwork bring you legal setbacks which delay your sale. 

By following these steps, you can help ensure a smoother, quicker, and less stressful selling experience:

🏡 Gather essential documents before listing. 

🏡 If selling a leasehold property, request leasehold information early. 

🏡 Understand and disclose any restrictive covenants. 

🏡 Consider ordering searches in advance where beneficial. 

🏡 Be upfront about any known issues. 

🏡 Work with a solicitor from day one.

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When homeowners ask themselves things like: ‘how can I sell my home faster in Richmond upon Thames?’, they assume estate agent tips for selling quickly will be all about those presentation points mentioned in the opening paragraph. Indeed – we’ve written those sorts of blogs before! See here for tips!

And that’s all great, but it’s also all dressing. 

What really helps sell a property quickly is cutting down that conveyancing time. We can find a buyer for a home in poor condition as quickly as we can find one for a property in great condition – but there is only so much we can do to help a property sale through the legal process.

The more prepared you are, the fewer hurdles your buyer will face, increasing the chances of a swift, hassle-free transaction. If you have any questions about selling your home, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We are here every step of the way to help make your move as seamless as possible.

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