Fixtures and fittings (TA10 form): what's included when buying a house

Moving home involves a lot of paperwork, and among the forms your solicitor will send over, one of the more straightforward ones is the TA10 — formally called the Fittings and Contents Form, though most people know it as the fixtures and fittings form or the furniture and fittings list.

This document is simply a list of everything the seller intends to leave behind when they move out. It is a legally binding part of the contract, and the seller is responsible for ensuring every detail is accurate.

You will typically receive the TA10 from your solicitor shortly afteryour offer is accepted, as part of the initial contract pack.

The TA10 form, developed and overseen by the Law Society, is more formally known as the TA10 Fittings and Contents Form. However, that name can create confusion about what the difference between fixtures and fittings actually is.

Fixtures are items permanently attached to the building or grounds that will remain after the sale. Fittings (or chattels, as they are known in legal documents) are personal property — typically free-standing and removable without damaging the structure of the building.

There are grey areas, which is why the legal test known as the degree of annexation matters. This considers how permanently something is fixed to the building, how much damage its removal would cause, and how difficult that removal would be — the harder something is to remove, the more likely it is to be classed as a fixture rather than a fitting.

A fitting can be negotiated to remain — white goods in the kitchen are a common example — and a fixture can be removed provided any damage caused is made good. The TA10 form is where all of this is agreed in writing.

Since this form is a legally binding document, it is important that you, as the seller, fill it in accurately and honestly. Your solicitor will guide you through it and advise if anything is unclear.

The form is divided into 11 sections. For each item listed, the seller confirms whether it is included, excluded or not present at the property. There is also a column to offer specific items for sale at an agreed price — if a buyer agrees to purchase something, this becomes part of the binding contract and must be flagged to your conveyancer.

Basic fittings

This covers the everyday fixtures throughout the property: boilers, immersion heaters, radiators, gas and electric fires fixed to walls, wood burners, roof insulation, light switches and sockets, window fittings and shutters, internal and external door fittings, alarm systems and doorbells. Do not overlook external power sources such as garden sockets or EV charging points, or any outside water connections.

Kitchen

White goods and kitchen appliances are listed separately here: washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, hobs, grills, extractor hoods, fridges, fridge-freezers, freezers, microwaves and tumble-dryers. Whether these are integrated or free-standing is worth paying close attention to, as integrated appliances can be difficult or expensive to replace — see the disputes section below.

Bathroom(s) and toilet(s)

Baths, shower cubicles, cabinets, toilets, basins, taps, towel rails, shower fittings, mirrors and item holders (toilet roll, toothbrush holders and so on). If there is a dedicated shaving socket, include it here.

Carpets

Every room should be listed individually, including the hall, landing and stairs, with confirmation of whether each carpet will remain. Buyers should check this section carefully — replacing carpets throughout a property is a significant cost.

Curtains and curtain rails

This section covers poles, rails and pelmets across all rooms (including the hall, landing and stairs), as well as curtains, blinds and other window coverings. Door coverings should be included here too. The method of hanging — pole or rail — can be a source of dispute, so sellers should be precise.

Light fittings

Fitted lighting attached to ceilings, walls or floors is listed here, including ceiling roses, flex, bulb holders and bulbs. If a seller removes a fitting, it is expected to be replaced with something safe and suitable. Sellers should not assume an expensive or ornate fitting can be taken without agreement.

Fitted units

Any fixed storage across the property: cupboards, shelves, wardrobes, kitchen and utility units, bathroom cabinets and so on. If it is screwed or built into the room, it belongs in this section.

Outdoor area

Often overlooked but worth completing carefully. This section covers garden furniture and ornaments, trees, plants and shrubs, barbecues, dustbins and refuse containers, sheds and greenhouses, outside heaters and lighting, water butts, and washing or rotary lines. Whether plants are in the ground or in pots can become a point of contention — the form is the place to get this settled.

Television and telephone

Any aerials, satellite dishes or radio aerials attached to the property.

Stock of fuel

For properties with oil-fired central heating, wood burners or LPG heaters, this section confirms the quantity of fuel that will be left at completion. Buyers should check this is reflected in the agreed price.

Other items

A catch-all for anything not covered elsewhere. If there is something that does not fit neatly into the sections above, add it here.

Without care and precision on the TA10 form, disagreements can slow down or delay the transaction. These are the issues that come up most often.

Curtain poles vs curtain rails. Both are how curtains are hung, but ornate poles are often considered personal property by sellers while buyers assume they will remain. The seller should state clearly what is staying and what is going; if poles are being removed, what replaces them should be agreed before completion.

Integrated vs free-standing appliances. An integrated appliance — a washing machine or fridge-freezer built into the kitchen with a matching door front — is often considered part of the kitchen itself. Removing it can leave an awkward gap that is costly to fill. Both parties should be clear on what is staying from the start.

Garden plants in the ground vs pots. It is reasonable to expect a seller to take potted plants with them, but established plants in the ground are a different matter. If a seller wants to dig something up, or a buyer is particularly attached to a patio arrangement, this needs to be stated and agreed in advance.

Expensive light fittings. A seller may feel entitled to take a statement light fitting since they paid for it; a buyer may expect it to stay since it suited the room. Without agreement, this causes delays. If a fitting is being removed, it must be replaced with something safe.

Television wall brackets. Wall-mounted TV brackets are often left behind, but sellers sometimes want to take them. Different televisions require different fixings anyway, so this is rarely worth a dispute — but if brackets are removed, any wall damage must be made good.

Check the TA10 form before exchange. Read through it carefully and raise any questions or discrepancies with your solicitor before signing the contract. Onceexchange of contracts has happened, it is legally binding.

Visit the property. Arrange a viewing after the TA10 has been issued and go through it room by room. Do not simply turn up — book it through the agent or seller.

Take photos. Photograph every item listed as included. These provide documentary evidence if anything is missing on completion day and give you something concrete to send to your solicitor alongside any questions.

Check offered items. If the seller has offered any furniture or other items for sale, inspect them during the visit and confirm whether you want them, and at what price. Also confirm anything you do not want will be removed.

Final check oncompletion day. Once you have your keys, go through the TA10 against what is actually in the property. If anything included is missing, raise it with your solicitor immediately.

The TA10 is a legally binding document once signed, so accuracy matters. Fill it in thoroughly, specifying every item clearly rather than leaving anything ambiguous.

If your circumstances change after you have submitted the form — perhaps you have decided to take something you originally listed as included — update it as soon as possible and tell your solicitor so the buyer's conveyancer can be informed.

The form also gives you the opportunity to offer items for sale that fall outside the standard fixtures and fittings. Remember that the buyer has no obligation to accept. Equally, a buyer may ask about something you had not considered selling — you can open a negotiation if you are willing.

Keep your solicitor informed of any changes throughout the process.

You have got your keys and you are walking through your new home for the first time. One task not to overlook is checking the TA10 form against what is actually there.

If anything listed as included is missing, here is what to do.

Report it to your solicitor straight away. The TA10 is a legally binding document, which means the seller is in breach of contract if an included item is gone.

Gather evidence. The photographs you took before exchange — when you verified items room by room — are your starting point. Take further photographs on completion day showing what is absent. Your solicitor will need both sets.

From there, your solicitor can pursue either the return of the item through the seller's solicitor, or, where that is not possible, the cost of replacement or repair.

There is a lot to keep track of when you are buying or selling a home, and the TA10 is just one part of the process. Whether you need guidance on completing the form as a seller, or help understanding what you should be checking as a buyer, our panel solicitors at Homeward Legal are experienced in getting transactions to completion as smoothly as possible.

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