TA10 Form: fittings and contents form

A TA10 Fittings and Contents form is one of the documents you’ll be sent by your solicitor or conveyancer to fill out once the sale of your home has been agreed.

There are other TA forms which have different purposes. TA10 specifically covers the items in your house which are potentially removable.

The idea is to make sure that you and your buyers know accurately what they are getting when the sale is complete.

You usually receive the TA10 form right at the beginning of the conveyancing process and it might be one of the first forms you return to your solicitor or legal professional.

Fixtures and fittings is a phrase you might read on property listings or have explained to you by your estate agent.

Fixtures

Fixtures are things in a home that are “fixed” in, or attached to the building, such as a bathroom sink, a toilet or built-in kitchen units.

Usually “fixtures” are understood to be included in a home sale as they can’t easily be removed. 

Fittings 

Fittings are things in a home that can be removed. They might be fixed by only a nail or a screw, or be plumbed in, like white goods.

Contents

Contents are things that are easily removed from a home, such as furniture and decorations. You might decide to include these in the sale, or take them with you.

No, it’s up to you what you take or leave. You might decide to bring them with you, or leave them to the next owner of the home. That’s where the TA10 form comes in. 

Sometimes, as part of a sale agreement, the seller might offer to leave fittings to sweeten the deal. 

In some cases, a seller might ask the buyer to purchase fixtures or contents in addition to the sale. The buyer might accept or decline.

A price for any additional items can be suggested on the TA10 form but it’s usually a starting point for negotiations directly between the buyer and the seller.

Examples of a TA10 form can be downloaded from The Law Society. Generally, the form is approximately eight pages of items split into “basic fittings” and divided by room or fitting type, such as carpets, curtains, light fittings, fitted units and outside fittings.

If you’re selling a home, it’s your job to go through this list of items with any co-owners of the home and tick which ones will be included in your sale.

A TA10 form will ask for the full details of the home being sold, the sellers’ solicitor name and contact information and a reference number.

It will also set out how to use the form under “Instructions to the seller and the buyer”. For example, it might say:

“In each row, the seller should tick the appropriate box to show where:

• the item is included in the sale (‘Included’);

• the item is excluded from the sale (‘Excluded’);

• there is no such item at the property (‘None’).”

The form will break the fittings into sections, including “basic fittings”, kitchen, bathroom, carpets, curtains, light fittings, fitted units, outdoor items, television and telephone etc.

Next to each listed item are three columns to tick from (included, excluded, none), followed by price (if the buyer wants to sell the item separately) and a comments section.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s usually included in a TA10 form:

Basic fittings:

• boiler

• immersion heater

• radiators

• wall heaters

• roof insulation

• window fittings

• window shutters

• light switches

• electric sockets

• doorbell

• door fittings

• burglar alarms

Kitchen:

• hob

• extractor hood

• oven/grill

• cooker

• microwave

• refrigerator

• fridge-freezer

• tumble dryer

• dishwasher

• washing machine

You’ll be asked if these are fitted or free-standing.

Bathroom:

• bath

• shower fitting for bath

• separate shower

• shower curtain

• taps

• towel rail

• soap/ toothbrush holder

• toilet roll holder

• mirror

Carpets:

This section is broken down by room, including hall, stairs, landing, living room, dining room, kitchen and any bedrooms or additional rooms can be added.

Curtains and curtain rails: This includes curtains, blinds, curtain rails, poles and pelmets and is split by room, including hall, stairs, landing, living room, dining room, kitchen and any bedrooms or additional rooms can be added.

Light fittings: Again, this asks for details by room, but with the addition of a note stating: ‘If the seller removes a light fitting, it is assumed that the seller will replace the fitting with a ceiling rose, a flex, bulb holder and bulb and that they will be left in a safe condition.’

Fitted units: examples of units include fitted cupboards, fitted shelves and fitted wardrobes, and is split by room, including hall, stairs, landing, living room, dining room, kitchen and any bedrooms or additional rooms can be added.

Outdoor area: this covers items kept outside such as garden furniture, garden ornaments, trees, plants and shrubs, barbecue, dustbins, garden shed, greenhouse, outdoor heater, outdoor lights, water butt, clothes line and rotary line.

Television and telephone: this covers telephone receivers, TV aerial, radio aerial and satellite dish.

Stock of fuel: this includes oil, wood or liquefied petroleum gas.

Other items: you can add items here that don’t fit into any of the other sections.

The TA10 form should be signed by all the owners of the home being sold. 

If you co-own a home, go through the form in detail together and make sure you’re both happy and in agreement before signing it.

Yes, a TA10 form is legally binding once contracts are exchanged. It is an important part of the conveyancing process, and ensures you and your buyer know what they’re getting.

If you include something in your TA10 form and then take it with you, your buyer could  challenge you legally at a later date.

Because you are likely to fill out your TA10 form near the start of your sales process, which can take time, it’s a good idea to keep a copy. Make sure you look at it carefully before packing up your home or instructing your movers on what to take or leave. 

Yes and no. A TA10 form can be used by a seller to offer items excluded from the property sale. The buyer can then decide whether or not to accept.

To do this, the seller can use the form to indicate an item is for sale and must then negotiate the sale of that item directly with the buyer or through their estate agent or legal professionals.

The TA10 form is one of the first pieces of paperwork you’ll be asked to fill out once you’ve accepted an offer on your home. The sooner you fill it out and return it to your legal professional, the sooner your sale can progress.

Completing a TA10 form isn’t a mandatory part of a sales process, but most sellers do complete and return one.

It’s a reasonable expectation for a buyer to see a completed TA10 form during the purchase process. Deciding not to fill out and return a TA10 form could result in delays.