The Curtains Aren’t a Gift: Handling Fixtures and Fittings After the Offer

There’s a particular sort of email that lands a week or two after you’ve accepted an offer. It usually comes via the estate agent or your solicitor, and it asks something like: “Would the buyers be able to keep the curtains?” Or the fridge. Or the shed. Or the very specific wall-mounted TV bracket that took three drills and a minor argument to install.

On the face of it, it’s small stuff. On a bad day, it can feel like the sale is being unpicked one cushion at a time. In reality, fixtures and fittings are one of the most common post-offer conversations in UK house sales — and most of the time they’re easy to sort out if you deal with them early, clearly and without treating every request as an insult.

First, the legal baseline — and why your memory of the viewing isn’t it

In England and Wales, the starting point is simple enough: fixtures tend to stay, fittings tend not to. A fixture is generally something attached to the property — a built-in wardrobe, a bathroom suite, a fitted kitchen unit. A fitting is generally freestanding — a sofa, a freestanding fridge, a loose bookcase.

The trouble is that real houses don’t always sit neatly in two columns. Fitted carpets, curtains, blinds, integrated appliances, garden sheds and wall-mounted mirrors all sit somewhere in the grey area, and the answer can depend on how they’re fixed and what was agreed. That’s why the Law Society’s TA10 form exists. It’s the fixtures and fittings form your solicitor will send you as part of the conveyancing pack, and it’s where you declare what’s included, what’s excluded and what might be available by separate negotiation.

The important bit: the TA10 is not a place for vague optimism. If you want to take the fancy light fitting in the hallway, say so. If the buyer assumed the American-style fridge-freezer was part of the deal because it was standing in the kitchen during the viewing, deal with it now rather than three days before exchange.

The TA10 is a record, not a wish list

Fill it in properly, ideally before the buyer starts asking. Walk from room to room and be honest about what you intend to leave. If something is staying because it was made for the space — made-to-measure curtains, a fitted blind, a shed that matches the garden — put it down. If something is coming with you because it was a gift, an heirloom or simply expensive, put that down too.

Don’t leave blanks and hope for the best. A blank can read as “maybe” to a buyer, and “maybe” is how a straightforward sale turns into a series of increasingly tired emails. If you’re unsure how to describe something, ask your conveyancer. That’s what they’re for.

The requests buyers commonly make

Most buyers aren’t trying to be difficult. They’re trying to avoid a nasty surprise on completion day. The usual asks tend to be:

• White goods and freestanding appliances — washing machines, fridge-freezers, tumble dryers. These are not automatically included, so if you’re leaving them, say so. If you’re taking them, say that too.
• Integrated appliances — ovens, dishwashers, extractor hoods. These often stay because removing them creates a hole and a headache, but confirm it in writing rather than assuming.
• Curtains and blinds — especially made-to-measure ones. Buyers often ask because replacing them is expensive and fiddly. You’re not obliged to leave them, but if you’re taking them, be clear.
• Garden structures — sheds, greenhouses, summerhouses. A shed may be freestanding, but buyers often assume it’s part of the garden. If it’s going with you, put it on the form.
• Wall-mounted items — TV brackets, mirrors, shelves. If removing something leaves holes, it’s worth agreeing whether it stays or whether you make good afterwards.
• Furniture — sometimes buyers fall for a sofa or a dining table and ask to buy it. That’s fine, but it’s a separate transaction, not part of the house sale.

Fair, not a pushover

There’s a difference between being reasonable and being walked over. If a buyer asks you to leave the curtains because they were made for the bay window, it’s often worth saying yes — it costs you less than it would cost them to replace, and it builds goodwill. If they ask you to leave a valuable piece of furniture for free, that’s not a fixtures-and-fittings request; that’s a negotiation, and you can politely treat it as one.

A useful question to ask yourself: would I have included this in the sale if I’d thought about it at the outset? If the answer is yes, say yes and confirm it. If the answer is no, say no clearly and explain why. Most buyers accept a clear answer far better than a vague one.

If a buyer wants to purchase furniture or other freestanding items, agree a separate price, list what’s included, note the condition and get it in writing through your solicitor or agent. Don’t let a side deal about a sofa become a grey area in the property contract.

The late ask — the one that arrives after the TA10 has been returned — needs a calm response. Ask whether it’s a deal-breaker or a nice-to-have. If it’s small and easy, consider it. If it’s expensive or sentimental, counter-offer. What you shouldn’t do is agree verbally and then forget to tell your solicitor. Fixtures and fittings should not become a second price negotiation by stealth.

Removal, damage and the handover

If you’re taking something with you, remove it before completion and make good afterwards. Fill the holes, touch up the paint if needed, and don’t leave a bracket-shaped scar on the wall. If you’re leaving something behind, leave it in working order and leave the instructions if you have them. A tidy handover is worth more than a grudging concession.

A short checklist before you sign the TA10

• Walk every room and note what stays and what goes.
• Check the garden, shed, garage and loft.
• List anything you want to keep, especially fitted items.
• Confirm any buyer requests in writing via your solicitor or agent.
• Check that the estate agent’s listing and brochure don’t contradict the form.
• Keep a copy of everything you send.

A house sale doesn’t usually fall apart over a curtain rail. It falls apart over confusion, silence and last-minute surprises. Deal with the fixtures and fittings early, be clear about what you’re leaving, and you can be fair without turning the final weeks into a bargaining session.