What Your Solicitor Needs When Buying a Home

Providing your solicitor with accurate and comprehensive information right from the start helps streamline the legal process of buying a property. Having the correct documents ready prevents unnecessary delays and ensures a smoother journey to completion.

Here's what you'll typically need to supply:

1. Proof of Identity

• Valid passport or driving licence

• Proof of current address (e.g. utility bill or bank statement dated within the last 3 months)

2. Proof of Funds

• Recent bank statements 

• Evidence of how the funds were accumulated (especially if involving savings over time or a gifted deposit)

• If someone has kindly gifted money for your deposit/purchase your solicitor will need to carry out compliance checks on them as well as you.  This is standard practice, and they will need to provide:

  • A letter from the donor confirming the gift

  • ID and proof of address from the donor

  • Recent bank statements of the account they are gifting from

3. Mortgage Offer

• Official mortgage offer document from your lender

• Includes terms, interest rate, repayment conditions, and available funds

4. Survey and Valuation Reports

• Any homebuyer surveys or structural reports you've commissioned

• Lender's valuation, if separate from your own survey