Track furniture and fittings by checking the formal agreement for every item included in the sale price. The Estate Agents Authority states that such items should be listed in that agreement, which also incorporates the basic terms agreed between the parties in the provisional agreement.
What should the seller check?
| Point to check | Practical verification |
|---|---|
| Furniture and fixtures included in the sale price | Locate each item and its description in the formal agreement. |
| Basic terms from the provisional agreement | Compare the relevant terms in both agreements to check that they have been carried across accurately. |
| Missing or unclear descriptions | Record the discrepancy and seek explicit confirmation rather than assuming that the item’s status is settled. |
| Differences between the two agreements | Identify any addition, omission, or wording change that affects which items are included. |
These checks make the formal agreement the primary written reference for the handover list. They do not replace checking the provisional agreement, because the formal agreement incorporates its basic terms.
What must the seller still confirm?
The seller must confirm that:
- every relevant item has been considered;
- the descriptions are clear enough to identify the intended furniture or fitting;
- the formal agreement reflects the terms the parties intended to include;
- any mismatch between the provisional and formal agreements has been resolved; and
- the physical items present at handover correspond with the agreed list.
The cited guidance does not prescribe a standard inventory form, photographic procedure, serial-number record, or fixed handover deadline. It also does not establish whether an omitted item will change hands or what remedy applies if the physical items differ from the agreement. Those points must be confirmed from the actual documents and, where necessary, independent legal advice.