TA6 Utilities and Services: Common Questions

The TA6 Property Information Form is a critical part of every residential property sale in England and Wales. Among its 14 sections, the utilities and services questions— covered primarily in Section 12 — are some of the most practical and frequently queried by buyers' solicitors. You need to provide clear, accurate details about every service connected to your home: gas, electricity, water, drainage, heating, broadband, and telephone.

Getting this section wrong is one of the most common causes of additional enquiries during conveyancing. Vague or incomplete answers almost always trigger follow-up questions, adding weeks to the timeline. This guide answers the most common questions sellers have about the utilities and services section, explains what information you need to gather, and highlights the areas where mistakes are most likely.

What does the TA6 ask about utilities and services?

Section 12 of the TA6 asks you to confirm which utilities and services are connected to your property. For each one, you must state:

• Whether the service is connected (yes or no)
• Whether it is mains or private
• The name of the current supplier or provider
• Whether any service pipes, cables, or drains cross neighbouring land to reach your property (or vice versa)

The services covered include electricity, gas, water, sewerage and drainage, telephone, and broadband. You should also describe your heating system and disclose any renewable energy installations. For a detailed walkthrough of every field, see our TA6 services section explained guide.

Gas supply questions

If your property is connected to mains gas, this is straightforward: confirm the connection and name your gas supplier from your most recent bill. Mains gas is distributed by regional gas distribution networks and retailed by the supplier you pay.

The questions become more involved if your property is not connected to mains gas. Around four million homes in England and Wales are off the gas grid, particularly in rural areas. If this applies to you, state clearly that there is no mains gas connection and describe the alternative fuel:

• Oil — note the location and capacity of the storage tank, whether it is above or below ground, and the date of the last inspection. Oil tanks must comply with the Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001
• LPG — state whether the tank is owned or rented and name the supplier. If the tank is rented, the rental agreement may need to be assigned to the buyer
• Electric heating — confirm that the property is heated entirely by electricity and describe the system (storage heaters, panel heaters, or heat pump)
• Solid fuel — note the type of appliance (wood-burning stove, open fire, or multi-fuel stove) and whether a HETAS installation certificate was issued

Electricity supply questions

Most properties in England and Wales are connected to mains electricity. Confirm the connection and name your electricity supplier. If you are unsure who your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) is, you can check via the Energy Networks Association website.

Two situations create additional questions:

Three-phase electricity

Some older, rural, or commercial-conversion properties have a three-phase electricity supply rather than the standard single-phase. If yours does, state this clearly. It is not a problem, but the buyer should be aware as it affects how the supply is managed.

Off-grid electricity

A very small number of properties in England and Wales are not connected to the mains electricity grid and rely entirely on generators, solar panels with battery storage, or a combination. If this applies, describe the system in full, including capacity, battery storage, and any backup arrangements.

Water supply questions

The majority of properties receive mains water from a regional water company regulated by Ofwat. Confirm the connection and name the supplier. If you are unsure which water company serves your address, Ofwat's website has a postcode lookup tool.

Private water supplies

If your property does not have mains water and instead relies on a borehole, well, or spring, you must disclose this clearly. Private water supplies are regulated under the Private Water Supplies (England) Regulations 2016 and must be registered with your local authority. When completing the TA6, include:

• The type of supply (borehole, well, spring, or other)
• Whether it is registered with the local authority
• The date of the most recent water quality test and the results
• Any treatment system in place (UV filter, chlorination, etc.)
• Whether the supply is shared with any neighbouring properties

Private water supplies are one of the most common triggers for additional enquiries, particularly from mortgage lenders. Providing thorough information upfront prevents delays. For broader guidance on completing the form efficiently, see our property information form tips guide.

Drainage and sewerage questions

Drainage is one of the sections where sellers most frequently provide inaccurate information. You must confirm whether your property drains to the public sewer (maintained by the regional water and sewerage company) or to a private system.

The buyer's solicitor will almost always order a drainage search from the water company. This shows the location of public sewers near the property and confirms whether it is connected. If your TA6 answer contradicts the drainage search results, the buyer's solicitor will immediately raise an enquiry — so accuracy is essential.

Septic tanks and cesspits

If your property has a septic tank, cesspit, or small sewage treatment plant, you must provide specific details:

• The type of system (septic tank, cesspit, or treatment plant)
• The approximate age and capacity
• The emptying frequency and name of the contractor
• Whether the system discharges to a soakaway or a watercourse
• Whether you hold an Environment Agency permit or rely on the General Binding Rules

Since January 2020, the Environment Agency's General Binding Rules require septic tanks that discharge directly to a watercourse to be replaced with a small sewage treatment plant. If your septic tank discharges to a watercourse and has not been upgraded, you must disclose this. The buyer will need to understand the cost and timeline for compliance, which can range from £5,000 to £20,000 depending on the site.

Shared drains

If your property shares drains with neighbouring homes, disclose this. Under the Private Sewers Transfer in October 2011, most shared sewers and lateral drains serving two or more properties were transferred to the regional water and sewerage company. This means maintenance is now the water company's responsibility, not yours. Confirm whether your shared drain has transferred or remains privately maintained.

Broadband and telephone questions

The TA6 asks whether a telephone line and broadband connection are available at the property. You should confirm:

• Whether a landline telephone is connected
• Whether broadband is available and the type of connection (ADSL, fibre-to-the-cabinet, or full fibre)
• The current broadband provider

While the TA6 does not ask for broadband speed, the National Trading Standards material information guidance (updated in 2022) now requires estate agents to include broadband speed and mobile signal information in property listings. Including your broadband type and provider on the TA6 demonstrates transparency and helps the buyer's solicitor complete their due diligence faster.

Broadband availability varies significantly across England and Wales. If your property is in an area with limited connectivity, be upfront about this rather than allowing the buyer to discover it after exchange. Honesty about broadband availability is far less likely to derail a sale than a post-exchange discovery that the connection is inadequate.

Renewable energy and heating system questions

The services section is also where you should disclose any renewable energy installations and describe your heating system. Common questions arise around solar panels, heat pumps, and boiler details.

Solar panels

If your property has solar panels, provide:

• The type of installation (solar PV or solar thermal)
• The date of installation and the installer
• Whether the panels are owned outright or subject to a lease or power purchase agreement (PPA)
• Whether the system receives payments under the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) or the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)
• The MCS certificate number if the installation was carried out under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme

Ownership status is critical. Leased solar panels have caused significant complications in property transactions because some mortgage lenders are reluctant to approve loans on properties with long-term leases attached to the roof. If the panels are leased, the lease must be assigned to the buyer, which adds a step to the conveyancing process.

Heat pumps

Air-source and ground-source heat pumps are increasingly common in England and Wales. If your property has one, state the type, the installation date, whether it was installed under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), and the name of the installer. If the system was MCS-certified, include the certificate number.

Boiler details

Although the TA6 does not have a dedicated field for boiler age, buyers' solicitors frequently ask about it. Noting the make, model, approximate installation date, and date of the last service helps preempt this enquiry. If you hold a recent gas safety certificate, mention it. For more on whether you need a gas safety certificate when selling, see our gas safety certificate guide.

Pipes and cables crossing other land

One of the most important questions in Section 12 asks whether any service pipes, cables, or drains serving your property cross a neighbour's land, or whether any services serving a neighbouring property cross yours. This matters for two reasons:

• If your services cross a neighbour's land, you need a legal right (an easement) to maintain and access them
• If a neighbour's services cross your land, the buyer needs to know that a third party has a right of access

Check your title register at HM Land Registry (available for £3 from gov.uk) for any recorded easements. If services cross neighbouring land but no formal easement exists, disclose this honestly. The buyer's solicitor may request that an easement be established or that indemnity insurance be taken out before exchange. Being upfront about this avoids the far worse outcome of the issue being discovered during searches.

Quick reference: information to gather before completing the services section

The following table summarises what you need for each utility:

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Based on the most frequent errors conveyancers encounter in the services section, here are the key pitfalls to watch for:

1. Guessing the supplier name. If you are not certain, check your latest bill. An incorrect supplier name will be flagged if the buyer's solicitor cross-references it with their own searches.
2. Confusing mains and private drainage. Many sellers assume they are on mains drainage when they actually have a private system. If you do not pay sewerage charges on your water bill, you are likely on private drainage.
3. Omitting shared service arrangements. If you share a drain, water supply, or access road with neighbours, this must be disclosed along with any maintenance costs or agreements.
4. Forgetting to mention leased solar panels. A leased solar panel arrangement is a significant encumbrance on the property that can affect the buyer's mortgage application. Failing to disclose it is a serious omission.
5. Not disclosing known problems. Low water pressure, intermittent electricity, drainage blockages, or poor broadband must all be disclosed. The buyer's surveyor may identify these issues anyway, and undisclosed problems can lead to claims under the Misrepresentation Act 1967.

Understanding your duty of disclosure as a seller is essential. You are not expected to commission specialist reports, but you are expected to answer honestly based on what you know. If you are unsure about something, write “not known” with an explanation rather than guessing. For the consequences of providing deliberately false information, see our guide on what happens if you lie on the TA6.

Why getting the services section right matters

The utilities and services section may seem like a simple administrative exercise, but errors here have a disproportionate impact on the conveyancing timeline. According to data from the Conveyancing Association, incomplete or inaccurate property information forms are one of the leading causes of conveyancing delays in England and Wales, with the average transaction already taking 12 to 16 weeks from acceptance of an offer to completion.

Each additional enquiry generated by a vague or missing answer in the services section typically adds one to two weeks to the process. Multiple enquiries can push the timeline out by a month or more — time during which the buyer may lose patience, find another property, or have their mortgage offer expire. Completing the services section thoroughly and accurately from the outset is one of the simplest ways to keep your sale on track.

Sources

• Law Society of England and Wales — Property Information Form (TA6), 4th edition, 2020
• Ofwat — Water company postcode lookup: ofwat.gov.uk
• Ofgem — Smart Export Guarantee guidance: ofgem.gov.uk
• Energy Networks Association — Who is my DNO lookup: energynetworks.org
• Environment Agency — General Binding Rules for small sewage discharges, January 2020: gov.uk
• Private Water Supplies (England) Regulations 2016 — legislation.gov.uk
• Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001 — legislation.gov.uk
• Misrepresentation Act 1967 — legislation.gov.uk
• National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team — Material information guidance, 2022: ntselat.gov.uk
• HM Land Registry — Search for property information service: gov.uk/search-property-information-service
• Conveyancing Association — Reducing delays in the home buying process: conveyancingassociation.org.uk

Related guides

• TA6 Section 6: Utilities and Services

Frequently asked questions