Glossary · UK
What is Fixtures and Fittings?
The distinction, used when buying or selling a property, between fixtures (items permanently attached and normally included in the sale) and fittings (movable items the seller can usually take).
Full Definition
Fixtures and fittings is the standard conveyancing distinction between items that are treated as forming part of a property and are normally included automatically in its sale, and items that remain the personal property of the seller and can be removed unless a buyer specifically negotiates to keep them. A fixture is generally something that has become permanently attached to the building in a way that would cause damage to remove -- built-in kitchen units, a fitted boiler, bathroom suites, radiators, fitted wardrobes, and items like a wired-in doorbell or an integrated oven are typically fixtures and pass to the buyer as part of the property itself, without any separate payment. A fitting, by contrast, is an item that can be removed without damaging the fabric of the building, such as freestanding furniture, curtains and curtain poles, freestanding white goods like a washing machine or fridge-freezer, light fittings and lampshades (as opposed to the wiring itself), and garden ornaments -- these legally belong to the seller and, unless expressly agreed otherwise, the seller can take them when they move, even if a buyer assumed they were included having seen them during viewings. To avoid disputes, UK conveyancing transactions use a standard Fittings and Contents Form (commonly the Law Society's TA10 form) completed by the seller before exchange of contracts, itemising exactly which items are included in the sale price, which are available for separate purchase, and which will be removed, and this list becomes part of the legally binding contract once exchanged, meaning a seller who removes an item marked as included, or a buyer who refuses to pay for agreed extras, can potentially be in breach of contract. Disputes over fixtures and fittings are a common source of late friction in property transactions -- classic flashpoints include integrated appliances, garden sheds, TV wall brackets, and light fittings replaced with cheaper alternatives shortly before completion -- so buyers are advised to check the TA10 form carefully against what they saw at viewings and raise any discrepancies with their solicitor well before completion rather than on moving day itself.