<p style="text-align: justify">When you sign the contract on a house purchase, you might expect it to come with all the fittings and appliances it had when you viewed it. But legally you&#8217;d be mistaken. Whether the UK housing market will surge, as was predicted after the election, or not, it&#8217;s worth getting to grips with some of the pitfalls that can affect both buyers and sellers.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">The law makes a distinction between &#8220;fittings&#8221; and &#8220;fixtures&#8221; and allows the seller to take with them anything falling into the former category, while requiring them to leave behind everything in the latter, unless otherwise specified.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">While the law is not very specific on the difference between a fitting and a fixture, some features of each are generally agreed upon.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">A fixture is typically defined as &#8220;form(ing) part of the land&#8221; and denotes anything built into the architecture of the house or bolted to the floor or wall. One example is a dishwasher built into a cupboard. These belong to the buyer once the contracts are signed.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Meanwhile, a fitting is freestanding and easily removable; for example, a freestanding cooker or curtains. Unless otherwise specified in the contract, the seller is free to remove any fittings after the sale.</p>
<h2><strong>Examples of Fittings and Fixtures</strong></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify">Let&#8217;s take a look at some specific examples of items typically classified as a fixture or a fitting:</p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify"><strong>Fittings</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify">Carpets</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Beds/Sofas/Other furniture</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Televisions</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Hung paintings and mirrors</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Curtains and curtain hangers</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Free-standing washing machines, fridges, and ovens</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Free-standing entertainment units like pool and ping pong tables</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="https://haznos.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Conveyancing-Fittings-And-Fixtures-Explained.jpeg" alt="Conveyancing Fittings And Fixtures Explained" width="480" height="320" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9768" /></p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify"><strong>Fixtures</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify">Sockets</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Bathroom units like bathtubs, toilets, and sinks</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Kitchen units like cupboards and built-in dishwashers</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Boilers and radiators</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Wall paintings</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: justify"><strong>Avoiding Conflicts after the Sale</strong></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify">The best way to avoid disputes over who gets what is to establish exactly what constitutes part of the house before the sale.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Typically a seller&#8217;s solicitor should have them complete a &#8220;Fittings and Contents&#8221; form before the exchange of contracts, which specifies exactly what the seller will be taking with them. The form is usually given to the buyer and attached to the contracts.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">A complete inventory of what is and is not deemed part of the sale helps prevent disputes over the fittings-fixtures status of items later on.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify"><strong>Negotiating over Fittings and Fixtures</strong></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify">Being well-prepared to negotiate can help you get the most out of your property deal whether you&#8217;re buying or selling.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">With regard to fittings and fixtures, if you&#8217;re a potential buyer, you need to decide before the negotiations start what exactly you expect to come with the home. Likewise, sellers should have a clear idea of what they will be taking with them to their new property.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">More generally, some negotiation best practices to keep in mind when buying or selling a home are as follows:</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify">Remain calm and reasonable, so you&#8217;ll get better responsiveness from the other party</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Listen as much as possible, and try to let the other party make the first offer</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Don&#8217;t take the first offer that the other party makes</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Be prepared to make some concessions</li>
<li style="text-align: justify">Rank your priorities, so you know what you&#8217;re willing to give up</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify">Keeping these tips in mind as you go over the contracts will help you leave the sale satisfied whether you&#8217;ve bought a new house &#8211; or just sold your old one.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Harry Price is a writer, living in a small fishing on the south coast. He draws on his picturesque surroundings for his writing inspiration.</p>