Which type of document would you request to prove the change of name between the seller's registered surname and the person named in the contract?

• A. Birth certificate
• B. Driving license
• C. A marriage certificate, deed poll or divorce certificate
• D. A utility bill

Answer: (C)

Proving a change of name requires evidence of the actual legal alteration of the name the seller uses in the contract. A deed poll is the formal instrument used to change a name. A marriage certificate records the name change that results from marriage. A divorce certificate or order can show the change or restoration of a surname after divorce. These documents directly demonstrate that the surname in the contract reflects the seller’s new legal name. By contrast, a birth certificate shows the name at birth and does not prove a subsequent change; a driving licence provides identification but not a record of a formal name change; a utility bill confirms address and may show the current name, but it does not establish that a legal name change has occurred.