The UK Home Documents Checklist: What to Keep and For How Long

Every UK home runs on paperwork: warranties, certificates, policies, manuals and receipts. Most of it lives in a kitchen drawer until the exact moment you need it, at which point it has vanished. This checklist covers what to keep, how long to keep it, and the simplest way to stop losing it.

Certificates you must be able to produce

Document	Keep for	Why it matters
EICR (electrical safety)	Until replaced (5 yearly)	Required for landlords; buyers' solicitors ask for it
Gas Safety Record	2 years minimum	Legal requirement for rentals; proof of servicing for everyone
FENSA / window certificates	Life of the installation	Requested on sale; replacements cost time and money
Building regs completion certificates	Forever	Extensions and conversions without them stall sales
EPC	10 years	Needed to sell or let

Warranties and guarantees

Boiler warranty: keep the certificate AND every annual service receipt. Most warranties are void without the service history.
Appliance warranties: keep the receipt with the warranty. The warranty is worthless without proof of purchase date.
Roof, damp proofing and timber guarantees: often 10 to 25 years and transferable to buyers, but only if you can produce them.
New build (NHBC or similar): the full policy document, for the life of the cover.

Insurance and finance

Buildings and contents policy schedules: current year plus the previous one.
Claims correspondence: six years.
Receipts for high value items: as long as you own them, for claims.
Home improvement invoices: forever. They evidence work for buyers and can reduce capital gains tax on some sales.

The renewal dates that catch people out

Insurance renewals, boiler services, alarm tests, MOT and tax on household vehicles, chimney sweeps, gutter cleans. None are hard individually; the problem is that they are spread across a dozen reminder systems, or none.

Keep every document and every renewal in one vault

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Frequently asked questions

How long should I keep home documents in the UK?

It depends on the document. Keep property records, guarantees and improvement invoices for as long as you own the home. Tax and self-employment records usually need keeping for several years, so check current guidance for the exact periods. Insurance schedules are worth keeping for the current year plus the previous one. When in doubt, keep the document rather than shred it, and always destroy anything with personal details securely.

Which home documents should I never throw away?

Some should be kept for the life of the property or as originals: the title deeds, building regulation completion certificates for extensions and conversions, structural warranties such as NHBC cover, damp or timber guarantees, and planning permissions. Certificates like FENSA for windows and gas or electrical safety records matter too, as buyers and their solicitors ask for them when you sell.

Is it safe to store home documents digitally?

Clear digital copies are fine for most home paperwork and make documents far easier to find and back up. Scan them at good quality, keep a secure backup, and protect access with a strong password. A few items are best kept as physical originals in a safe place, such as the title deeds, a will, and birth or marriage certificates. Treat digital copies of those as convenient references rather than replacements.