What's the difference between chattels and fixtures when buying a property?

Reviewed by a licensed conveyancer

Reviewed by

Cordell Smith

Last updated

July 24, 2026

Chattels are movable items not permanently attached to the property — furniture, loose appliances, pool equipment and garden tools. They're considered personal property and aren't included in a sale unless specifically agreed in the contract. Fixtures are attached to the property in a more permanent way — built-in wardrobes, light fixtures, permanently installed appliances — and are generally included in the sale. The key difference: chattels can be removed without damaging the property, while removing a fixture would typically cause damage or reduce the property's value.

In detail

Whether you're buying or selling, always check the contract of sale to see exactly what's included. If there's any doubt whether something counts as a chattel or a fixture, get it clarified in writing before you sign, to avoid disputes later. What happens to anything left behind at settlement differs by state — find your state below.

Quick reference: what's a chattel, what's a fixture

Property item	Default classification	Contract action
Built-in oven / cooktop	Fixture	Included automatically
Freestanding fridge / washer	Chattel	Must be written in as an included item
Fixed light fittings / ceiling fans	Fixture	Included automatically — note it if the seller intends to remove one
Mounted TV wall bracket	Fixture	If excluded, note that the seller will repair the wall holes
Robotic pool cleaner & poles	Chattel	Must be listed under included chattels

In practice

Chattels and fixtures in practice

In our experience, chattels and fixtures cause friction well out of proportion to what they're worth. The rule itself is straightforward — fixtures are attached and generally stay, chattels are movable and don't unless the contract says so — but buyers and sellers routinely assume different things about the same item.

The situations that recur:

A buyer expecting something to remain because it "looked built in," when it was really a chattel the seller was entitled to take.
The reverse — a seller removing an item the buyer was sure came with the place, discovered only at the final inspection.

Almost always it traces back to relying on what was seen or said at an inspection rather than what's written down. What we advise is to list the specific inclusions and exclusions in the contract, and to get anything ambiguous clarified in writing before signing.

The takeaway: if it matters whether an item stays or goes, name it in the contract — don't leave it to assumption.

Common questions

Can I take the light fittings when I sell my house?

No — light fixtures are considered part of the property and are included in the sale unless specifically excluded in the contract.

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What's the difference between chattels and fixtures when buying a property?

Quick reference: what's a chattel, what's a fixture

Chattels and fixtures in practice

Can I take the light fittings when I sell my house?

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