Putting together a Buyer Information Pack

[dancingqueen345]

Hoping I’m posting this is the right place, but I’m about to put my house on the market and am putting together an information pack for buyers.

These are the headings I’ve got so far;
Tenure
EPC
Average running costs
Info on water pressure / how house heats and cools
Full details of renovation works we have done
Garden info (tab, electricity)
Roof info
Flood risk
Parking
Bins
Boundaries
Neighbours
Local Schools
Local Area
Whats included in the sale and what’s by negotiation

I know some of the above will come through the property enquiries form/searches, but that obviously happens much further down the line.

As a buyer, is there anything I’m missing that you would find useful?

Why are you doing this? I’d be very careful about doing this, in case there are mistakes. I’d let everything be handled via the estate agent and solicitors, then it’s all their responsibility. Potential buyers can do their own research about the local area and schools, bins etc. I’d actually find it off putting if someone did this, it’s a bit desperate like youre trying to cover something up… but maybe that’s just me.

Not your problem

Right okay, that’s me told then 🤣 I shall bin the idea

Nice idea but not necessary. Half of these things will be covered by sellers information form you complete when you get a buyer confirmed. Other stuff will still need to be confirmed by local searches and most buyers will still prefer to do their own survey rather than tryst what seller says (eg roof?). I've got a folder of potentially useful info which I'll pass to the buyer when we complete - appliance manuals, copy of building regs, warranties, etc

@KrankyKumquatmy thinking was with things like the roof, I can say that it’s not been replaced/repaired within our ownership so that they’re aware it possibly could need replacing in the future and have that in mind when making an offer. To some people that might be totally off putting which is fine, but would rather not have got far down the process with a buyer for whom that is a deal breaker!

Honestly don’t bother
remove yourself from the process as much as you can, if they want surveys that’s fine and let your conveyancer handle the enquiries raised
leave it to the paid professionals and just answer when you need to provide detail

@dancingqueen345
I see your point but, honestly, I wouldn't get into advertising that the roof may need replacing. This is a massive job (£20k). Only a specialist roof survey will confirm this. The market isn't great at the moment so, if you want to sell, you need to accentuate the positive in everything you say, not draw attention to potential massive negatives. Unless of course, you already know that there's serious roof problems in which case, your price needs to reflect that (or get it fixed)

Should also add - dont believe everything you read about roofs. According to many, they have a 50 year life. We're currently selling a 1970s semi, never had anything done to the roof, no current problems and clean bill of health from our buyers level 2 survey. I think if we'd have told our FTB that they should factor in a full re-build for some time in the future, they'd have run a mile or attempted to make us pay for it.

Is this your first time selling?

It sounds like you are trying really hard to cover up something by giving this much info to viewers who will likely never even reply to the agent when they get a follow up, let alone read it ... unless they end up being the people you sell it to, in which case they can get all of that info from their searches (or your agent, whom you are paying!) and do yourself a favour if you do want to sell - do not highlight ANYTHING that will potentially require maintenance/work in the future at ANY point in the process.

On the day of exchange, we have only left manuals/warranties (fridge etc), bottle of something and a card with our contact details just incase. This has also been what we have "recieved" in the new houses.

Just leave a note when you move out for the buyers with bin day, boiler instructions etc.

@examadmin no not first time selling. This is really interesting though because in my mind I’m trying to do the opposite of cover things up, I’m trying to be as transparent as I can! But so helpful to see how others would perceive it

I wouldn’t bother, other than have all your info, certificates and guarantees to hand for when the buyers solicitor asks for them.
Do get your boiler and any woodburner serviced and have the evidence to hand.

You will receive Conveyancer forms to fill a lot of this information like the stopcock and water meter. Items being left.

Some of this stuff you should leave well alone eg flood risk, you wouldn’t be qualified to provide any information on this. Boundaries needs to be on the legal information etc. Some of it, eg what is included in the sale will be on the forms you fill in. Some of it re schools etc is easily googleable and presumably they will look at before they even view the house. Average utility use is for you and there’s might be way higher or lower. When you move out you can leave a bit of information eg where the stopcock is.

Absolutely agree with all above. Stick to giving the basic information you are asked for by solicitors/agents. I can see why you think you’re being helpful but it will only come back to bite you.

A buyer can choose to have a survey done, which will pick up if expensive work is likely to be required. If they don’t that’s their problem.

It’s 100% on the buyer / potential buyers to ask about the roof or other renovation. Terrible to be upfront thst you haven’t done anything with it

Leave a nice note on the kitchen counter on move date with any useful info - bin day, paint names, any warranties, codes etc.

Thats all you need to do. Their solicitor will sort out boundaries etc.

Agree with others. Leave it. Most of this will be in paperwork anyway.
Just make folder of manuals, warranties, useful info like meters locations, trusted tradies, fave takeaway for after. Now that would be very welcomed. Info if you have residents parking. My sellers did similar. Loved it.

Agree. Not necessary. For your renovations, you will need to provide copies of planning permission and building regs sign off, and certificates for windows and electrics, so worth having those handy.

some of those things are a great idea, like when the bins are collected etc. but other stuff is going to be done when they do searches (flood risk, boundaries) so you are just duplicating the work and unless you live rurally people don’t care about some stuff. Schools one can easily google.
I would appreciate info about the roof, boiler etc, but that again will be covered and I’m not going to take your word for some things. By all means get the certificates and building reg sign off/planning permission and FENSA certs. Your estate agent will get the EPC done.

It’s not something I’d do right now as this is what the estate agent / surveys are there for.

that said - when the property is sold - you could leave an ‘information pack’ on the kitchen side about the property
e.g - how the heating works etc and any other useful information. I wouldn’t bombard it - keep it brief. Most will be self explanatory. Maybe leave it with a card and a bottle perhaps..

The surveys will bring up about any work that is required with the property urgently. You don’t need to supply this neither.

I wouldn’t include information on neighbours neither, it’s up to the new owners to knock the door and introduce themselves.