TA6 and Survey Findings: Your Disclosure Obligations

The TA6 Property Information Form is the most important disclosure document in a property sale in England and Wales — for a full overview, see our guide to what you must disclose when selling. It is completed by the seller and provided to the buyer's solicitor as part of the conveyancing process. The form covers a wide range of property-specific information, from boundaries and disputes to structural issues and environmental matters.

When you commission a pre-sale survey, any defects or issues the survey identifies become part of your knowledge about the property. This knowledge creates specific disclosure obligations on the TA6. Failing to disclose known defects can expose you to legal claims that can persist for years after the sale completes.

This guide explains which sections of the TA6 are affected by survey findings — including those identified through a property survey — how to answer honestly without undermining your sale, and what happens if you get it wrong.

How the TA6 works

The TA6 is a standardised form published by the Law Society. It consists of 14 sections covering different aspects of the property. The seller completes the form, usually with guidance from their solicitor, and it forms part of the pre-contract information pack sent to the buyer's solicitor.

The key principle is simple: answer honestly based on what you know. You are not required to investigate matters you are unaware of, but you must disclose what you do know. Once you have a survey, you know what it found.

The form offers three types of response for most questions:

• Yes — with details
• No
• Not known — only appropriate if you genuinely do not know the answer

TA6 sections affected by survey findings

The following TA6 sections are most commonly affected by pre-sale survey findings. Many of these overlap with the common issues found in property surveys:

Section 1: Boundaries

The TA6 asks about boundary ownership and responsibility, and whether there are any boundary disputes. A survey may comment on the condition of boundary walls and fences, encroachments, or boundary discrepancies. If your survey notes a boundary wall in poor condition or a potential encroachment issue, this should be reflected in your TA6 answers.

Section 2: Disputes and complaints

This section asks about disputes with neighbours, complaints to or by the seller, and any matters that might lead to a dispute. While surveys do not directly address disputes, they may identify issues (such as tree roots from a neighbouring property affecting foundations) that are relevant to this section.

Section 3: Notices

The TA6 asks about any notices received from authorities or neighbouring properties. This is less commonly affected by survey findings, but if a survey identifies a defect that has previously been the subject of a notice (e.g. a dangerous structure notice), this should be disclosed.

Section 4: Alterations, planning and building control

This is one of the most important sections for survey-related disclosure. Surveys frequently identify alterations that may or may not have the required approvals:

• Loft conversions — the survey may note a converted loft and query whether building regulations approval was obtained
• Extensions — evidence of extensions that may need planning permission and building regulations sign-off
• Replacement windows — whether FENSA certificates or building regulations approval exists
• Removed walls — evidence of structural alterations that required building regulations approval
• Electrical or gas work — alterations to services that required notification or certification

If your survey identifies alterations that you know were carried out without proper approval, you must disclose this. Answering "not known" when a survey has highlighted the issue would be misleading.

Section 5: Guarantees and warranties

Surveys may comment on work that is covered by guarantees — damp-proofing, timber treatment, roofing, structural repairs. If the survey queries whether guarantees exist for specific work, you should provide the relevant certificates if you have them, or disclose that certificates are not available.

Section 6: Insurance

This section asks about the property's insurance arrangements. If a survey reveals issues that could affect insurability — previous subsidence claims, flooding history, non-standard construction — these should be disclosed, as they may affect the buyer's ability to obtain insurance.

Section 7: Environmental matters

The TA6 asks about flooding, contamination, and environmental issues. Surveys may identify:

• Flood damage: evidence of previous flooding (watermarks, damaged plaster, replaced flooring)
• Radon: in areas with radon risk, the survey may note whether radon protection measures are in place
• Japanese knotweed: evidence of current or previous infestation
• Asbestos: suspected asbestos-containing materials (artex ceilings, cement roof sheets, pipe lagging)

Section 8: Rights and informal arrangements

Less commonly affected by surveys, but the surveyor may note evidence of shared access, informal parking arrangements, or rights of way across the property that should be disclosed.

Section 10: Services

Surveys comment on the visible condition and type of services (electrics, gas, heating, plumbing, drainage). Key disclosure points include:

• Electrical installation: if the survey flags an outdated consumer unit or wiring, and you know the electrics have not been updated
• Heating: the age and condition of the boiler, particularly if the survey notes it is nearing or past its expected lifespan
• Drainage: evidence of drainage issues, private drainage arrangements, or septic tank details
• Water supply: private water supply arrangements, lead pipework

Section 14: Other information

This catch-all section asks whether there is any other information the seller thinks the buyer should know. If your survey revealed something material that does not fit neatly into the other sections — for example, evidence of historic structural movement that has since stabilised — this is where to disclose it.

The Misrepresentation Act 1967

The primary legal risk of non-disclosure is a claim under the Misrepresentation Act 1967. A misrepresentation occurs when a false statement of fact (including a misleading omission) induces the buyer to enter into the contract.

There are three types of misrepresentation:

If you commission a survey that reveals subsidence and then answer "No" to the TA6 question about structural problems, this would likely be treated as fraudulent misrepresentation. For guidance on handling difficult findings, see our guide on how to respond to buyer survey findings. The consequence could be the buyer unwinding the sale entirely and claiming all their losses.

The limitation period for misrepresentation claims is six years from the date of the misrepresentation (i.e. when the TA6 was provided). This means the risk persists long after the sale completes.

Practical examples

Example 1: Survey reveals rising damp

Your pre-sale survey identifies elevated moisture meter readings at ground-floor level and recommends further investigation by a damp specialist. On the TA6, you should:

• Answer Section 7 (Environmental matters — flooding and damp) honestly, noting that elevated moisture readings have been identified
• Provide any further information you have (e.g. a damp specialist's report if you obtained one)
• Note the survey's recommendation for further investigation

Example 2: Survey flags a loft conversion without building regs

The survey notes a converted loft and queries whether building regulations approval was obtained. You know the conversion was done by the previous owner and you do not have certificates. On the TA6:

• Answer Section 4 (Alterations) disclosing the loft conversion and stating that building regulations certificates are not available
• Your solicitor may advise obtaining indemnity insurance to cover the lack of building regulations sign-off

Example 3: Survey identifies structural cracking

The survey identifies diagonal cracking around a window and recommends a structural engineer's assessment. On the TA6:

• Disclose the cracking in the relevant section
• Provide the structural engineer's report if you obtained one
• If the engineer confirms the cracking is caused by thermal movement rather than subsidence, say so — this is more reassuring than leaving the buyer to guess

Tips for honest disclosure without undermining your sale

1. Disclose facts, not opinions. State what the survey found, not your interpretation of how bad it is — our guide on the TA6 form covers how to phrase your answers. Let the facts speak for themselves.
2. Provide context. If you have addressed an issue (e.g. had damp treatment carried out with a guarantee), disclose both the original problem and the remediation.
3. Attach evidence. Specialist reports, certificates, guarantees, and repair invoices all demonstrate that you have dealt with issues responsibly.
4. Be proactive, not reactive. Disclosing issues upfront is far better than having them emerge during the buyer's survey. Proactive disclosure builds trust; reactive discovery destroys it.
5. Work with your solicitor. If you are unsure how to answer a specific question, get legal advice. Your solicitor can help you frame disclosures appropriately.

For more on how the broader material information rules affect sellers, see our guide on material information rules under the DMCC Act. For guidance on whether commissioning a pre-sale survey is the right decision for your property, see is a pre-sale survey worth it.

Frequently asked questions