Property Fundamentals
What's included in the sale of a house? (Fixtures and fittings)
The default rule is that fixtures (items attached to the property) are included in the sale and fittings (free-standing items) are not. In practice, every item is itemised on the seller's TA10 Fittings and Contents Form, supplied through the conveyancer as part of the standard pre-contract pack.
The TA10 lists each item room by room — fitted kitchen units, integrated appliances, bathroom suite, fitted wardrobes, curtain poles, garden shed, light fittings — and the seller marks each as included, excluded, or available by separate negotiation. Whatever appears on the signed form forms part of the contract.
Disputes are common where the form is vague. Confirm in writing before exchange whether items like the dishwasher, garden statues, fitted curtains and TV aerials are staying. Removing items shown as "included" between exchange and completion is a breach of contract.
What this means in practice
The classic dispute: completion day at a £420,000 semi in Bedford MK40. Buyers arrive to find the integrated dishwasher gone (TA10 marked "included"), garden gnomes removed (TA10 marked "included"), a chandelier swapped for a bare bulb (not on TA10 but photographed in listing). The conveyancer raises a retention against the seller's funds — typically 1–2x replacement cost, around £1,200 here — held until items return or compensation is agreed. The Property Ombudsman case files show fixtures-and-fittings disputes account for roughly 8% of post-completion complaints. A signed TA10 with line-by-line clarity prevents almost all of them.
Related questions
What counts as a fixture rather than a fitting?
The legal test is the degree and purpose of annexation — how firmly attached, and whether attachment is for the better enjoyment of the property or merely to display the item. Built-in wardrobes (screwed to walls): fixtures. Free-standing wardrobes resting on the floor: fittings. Curtain poles screwed to the wall: fixtures. Curtains hanging from them: fittings. Light fittings hard-wired into the ceiling: fixtures. Lampshades plugged into a ceiling rose: fittings. Edge cases (Belfast sinks, range cookers, integrated appliances, woodburners) are exactly why the TA10 itemises everything.
Can I negotiate items into the sale price?
Yes — buyers and sellers regularly attribute a chunk of the agreed price to chattels (white goods, garden equipment, free-standing furniture) where the seller is leaving them. Historically this reduced SDLT because chattels were excluded from the chargeable consideration. HMRC has tightened scrutiny since the 2019 PN61 case — chattel apportionments must reflect genuine market value, evidenced if challenged. Knocking £15,000 off a £325,000 price for "the fitted kitchen" is not chattels and HMRC can claw back the SDLT.
Related reading
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