How do I sell furniture locally in the UK?

What should the listing show before anyone travels?

Photograph the sofa, wardrobe, bed or table you are selling. Include scratches, stains, wobbly legs and any label that is still attached.

Write the width, depth and height. Say whether it comes apart, and whether there is a lift, a tight turn or stairs. The buyer needs those facts before they borrow a car. Use the measuring guide for the doorway and the vehicle, not only the room.

A message that only says "is this still available" is not a plan. Ask for a day, a vehicle, and the names of the people who will lift.

Should I take a deposit before they see the sofa?

No. Let them look at the item in your home, or at the door, before any money moves.

Which? has described identical clear-out posts in Facebook groups that pushed a buyer to pay a deposit before the item could be seen. A Faster Payment cannot be cancelled once it has been sent. Read selling in a Facebook group and how to sell locally without cash before you accept a transfer to "hold" the sofa.

In February 2025 Which? reported ten identical posts, from different accounts, in local and community groups. Each offered a late parent’s vanity table as a family clear-out, priced between £65 and £85, and each linked to a Marketplace post. One buyer was told there was lots of interest, was asked for a deposit, and the item was not at the address. Which? says that if you lose money you should call your bank on the number on your card and report it to Action Fraud, or call 101 in Scotland. Source

Pay.UK says that once a Faster Payment has been sent it cannot be cancelled. Where money was sent by mistake, banks follow the Credit Payment Recovery process. Source

What if I want the payment recorded before they travel?

SilentSale® is a UK marketplace. It is free to list. The buyer pays in the app at checkout, then travels. Stripe processes the payment and holds the funds until pickup is completed. SilentSale® does not hold the funds itself.

The buyer inspects the sofa, then shares a 6-digit PIN. The seller enters that PIN. Entering it completes the order, and there is no dispute window after that. Buyer and seller each contribute £0.30 + 3% of the item price to SilentCover® (£0.60 each on a £10 item), a discretionary protection service. The amount is shown in pounds in the app. Read SilentCover®.

A three-seater is a collection. tracked Shipping is a parcel service, with 72 hours to report an issue after delivery. It is the wrong tool for a sofa that will not fit a mailbox. If the buyer does not arrive, read buyer no show after a van was hired. Compare the handover with Facebook Marketplace.

SilentSale® Terms section 3.1.1: both the buyer and the seller contribute to SilentCover®. Section 3.2.2: it is free to list, and the seller’s contribution is taken only after a successful sale. Section 3.3: SilentCover® is described as a discretionary platform service. Buyer and seller each contribute £0.30 + 3% of the item price (£0.60 each on a £10 item); the app shows the amount in pounds. Source

SilentSale® Terms: payment is processed through Stripe when the buyer confirms checkout (section 10A.2.1). Stripe holds the funds until the item is delivered or collected (section 10A.2.2). SilentSale® does not directly hold the funds (section 4.1.4). Funds are not released to the seller until pickup is completed (section 10A.2.4). After checkout the buyer is issued a 6-digit PIN (section 7.5.2). The buyer must inspect the item before handing that PIN to the seller (section 7.5.3). The seller enters it in the app (section 7.5.4). Entering the PIN is acceptance, the order is then complete, and no dispute window applies (sections 7.5.5, 7.5.6, 15.2.3 and 10A.7.3). Source

SilentSale® Terms sections 15.2.2 and 10A.7.2: for a courier delivery, the buyer has 72 hours from delivery confirmation to raise a dispute. Section 6.5.1a: confirming receipt closes that window earlier. Source

What if I sell furniture often?

One sofa you no longer need is an ordinary clear-out. Selling items regularly, including through classified adverts, can be trading. Check your own situation with HMRC. This page is not personal tax advice.

If the listing looks like a business supply of second-hand furniture, GOV.UK’s business guidance says a permanent fire label is still required. Read that guidance and collection-only items before you promise a label you do not have. Do not treat a neighbour’s one-off sofa and a trader’s stock as the same case.

GOV.UK says you are likely to be trading if you sell items on a regular basis, including online, at car boot sales or through classified adverts. If you only sell occasionally, check whether you need to tell HMRC. Contact HMRC if you are not sure whether you are trading. Source

GOV.UK’s business guidance on the 2025 fire-safety amendments says second-hand supply of furniture will still require a permanent label. Suppliers should read regulation 14 of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. Source