For buyers: how to read an upfront sales pack
An upfront sales pack lets a buyer see the facts about a home before viewing and before offering: the tenure and lease terms, the title register, the search results, a condition report, the EPC and the seller's answers about alterations, disputes and services. Read the tenure and lease terms first, then the title, the searches and the condition report, and check the date and source on each item. The pack informs your decision; it does not replace your own conveyancer's advice or, if you want one, your own survey.
What to check first
- Tenure, and for a flat the lease length. A lease under about 80 years affects mortgageability and the cost of extending it; ground rent terms and the service charge history tell you the running cost.
- The title register. Who owns it, whether the names match the seller, and the covenants and restrictions. A restriction that needs a third party's consent, or a covenant against alterations, matters before you plan anything.
- The searches. Road adoption, planning history and enforcement, flood risk, drainage connections and anything nearby that is planned. Note the search dates.
- The condition report. Read the condition ratings and the surveyor's advice on further investigation, and note the report's level (1, 2 or 3) and its terms of reliance.
- The seller's answers. Alterations and whether they had consent, guarantees, disputes, notices, shared access and parking. Compare them with what you see at the viewing.
- Building safety, for flats in buildings of 11 metres or more: whether the building is covered by the Building Safety Act protections and whether remediation is outstanding.
Reading the source and date on each item
A well-prepared pack says where each item came from. The distinction matters:
| Source | Examples | How far you can rely on it |
|---|---|---|
| A public register | Title register, EPC, council tax band | Official record as at the retrieval date; your conveyancer will obtain an up-to-date copy before exchange |
| A professional | Searches, condition report, identity check | On the producer's own terms; searches and surveys usually state who may rely on them |
| A third party | Leasehold information from the freeholder or managing agent | Their statement of the position at that date; service charges and major works can change |
| The seller | Questionnaire answers, chain status | The seller is responsible for their statements, and a misrepresentation can be actionable; still, check what you can see for yourself |
What a pack does not replace
- Your conveyancer. The pack gives them a complete starting point; they still advise you on what it means, raise any further enquiries and handle the contract.
- Your own survey, if you want one. A condition report in the pack was commissioned by the seller. Its terms may or may not extend reliance to you, and you may want a more detailed level for an older or altered home. Ask before deciding.
- A valuation. Nothing in the pack sets the price. Your lender's valuation is separate.
- Up-to-date searches. If the pack's searches are many months old by the time you exchange, your conveyancer or lender may ask for them to be refreshed. The government has said it will issue guidance on refresh periods.
If a listing has no pack
Packs are voluntary for ordinary sales until the legislation is passed, so many listings will not have one yet. The listing must still contain material information. You can ask the agent for the title register (or download it yourself for £7), the EPC (free on GOV.UK), the lease and the latest service charge accounts for a flat, and whether any searches or a survey already exist. A seller or agent who has prepared well will have them; one who has not will at least be prompted to start.
Why a pack is in the buyer's interest
The government's figures put the average sale at about 120 days from offer to completion, with around one in three falling through. Most collapses follow a late surprise. A pack moves the surprises to before the offer, so the price you agree reflects the facts, the conveyancing starts from a full file, and the sale is less likely to fail after you have paid for surveys and legal work.