It’s National Conveyancing Week (NCW) from 17 until 24 March 2025, an initiative of the Conveyancing Foundation that aims to “inform, educate, assist and inspire”.
The annual event is designed to help raise the profile of the conveyancing profession and highlight the important role conveyancers and property lawyers play in the home-moving process.
Numerous events take place throughout the week as key industry players come together to discuss topical issues such as the various challenges facing conveyancers, how to ensure sustainable growth, and ways to cultivate the next generation of conveyancing talent.
One of the items up for discussion is an update on the Law Society’s consultation on the TA6 Property Information Form, which a seller must complete with various details about their property.
The TA6 form is currently in the process of being updated to better reflect the “material information” guidance set by the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT), ensuring sellers provide more comprehensive details about a property to a potential buyer.
The aim is for greater transparency and potentially fewer transaction issues due to missing or inaccurate information during the sale process.
To mark this year’s National Conveyancing Week, in this blog our Residential Conveyancers look at the TA6 Form and consider its importance in property sales.
What is a TA6 Property Information Form?
A TA6 Property Information Form is a document that sellers in England and Wales must complete to disclose important details about their property to a potential buyer.
What do sellers disclose in a TA6?
Sellers must provide information in 14 different areas when completing a TA6. These are:
- Boundaries. Sellers should provide various information about a property’s boundaries, including who is responsible for maintaining them.
- Disputes and complaints. A seller must disclose whether there are any ongoing or previous disputes with neighbours.
- Notices and proposals. Anything that might affect the property, such as a notice from the local authority that a neighbour or developer is planning to develop or change the use of a nearby piece of land or building, must be disclosed.
- Alterations, planning and building control. Sellers must provide details of any structural changes or improvements to the property and include the necessary planning permissions and building regulations compliance certificates.
- Guarantees and warranties. Any warranties or guarantees that relate to the property, for example, a damp-proofing or double-glazing guarantee or a new-home warranty, must be provided.
- Insurance. Sellers should supply details of any difficulties encountered when arranging house insurance as well as information about any current insurance claims.
- Environmental matters. Sellers must answer questions about environmental matters such as whether the property has been flooded or is affected by Japanese knotweed.
- Rights and informal arrangements. Sellers must disclose whether there are any public rights affecting the property or any private rights that benefit a neighbour.
- Parking. Sellers must describe the property’s parking arrangements, eg. whether there is controlled parking outside the property.
- Other charges. If there are any charges affecting the property, such as payments to a management company, they should be disclosed.
- Occupiers. Sellers must include the details of anyone apart from themselves living at the property.
- Services. Sellers must state which services are supplied to the property, for example, electricity, central heating, drainage and sewerage.
- Utilities and services. The seller should include information about who supplies the property’s utilities and services and give the location of the relevant meters and the water stopcock.
- Transaction information. Sellers must also provide any relevant information relating to the sale. This could include, for example, whether the seller is buying another property at the same time and if there are any stipulations about the completion date.
Do you have to complete a TA6?
Completing a TA6 Property Information Form is not a legal requirement, but it is strongly advised.
A TA6 provides crucial information about a property and failing to complete one would raise serious red flags for potential buyers.
Do you have to declare problems when selling a house?
The official guidance states that sellers should complete the form “to the best of their knowledge”, “be accurate”, and “not knowingly exclude any information”.
Sellers should be as transparent as possible in their replies on the form and provide as much information as possible.
If a seller provides incorrect or incomplete information, the buyer may be able to claim compensation or refuse to complete the purchase.
A recent case at the High Court highlighted the importance of being as accurate as possible in the disclosures made in a TA6.
In this ruling, the judge ruled that a couple who bought a £32.5m mansion could hand it back and have most of their money returned after they found out it had a “severe moth infestation”.
In the case, Iya Patarkatsishvili and Yevhen Hunyak successfully sued the vendor of their property in West London after the judge agreed he failed to tell them about the moth problem in the pre-contract enquiries.
Residential Conveyancer Blackheath
Buying a new home is exciting but, for a property sale or purchase to go smoothly, it is crucial that you enlist the help of an experienced residential conveyancer.
At Beverley Morris & Co., our dedicated team of experienced conveyancing solicitors help a wide range of people complete their dream move.
Whether you are a first-time buyer, buying a property off-plan, or are an experienced property developer, we provide a personalised service designed to fit your needs, supporting you every step of the way.
To speak to our Residential Conveyancing team today, call 020 8852 4433 or email enquiries@beverleymorris.co.uk.