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

In our experience, chattels and fixtures cause more settlement-day friction than their size suggests. In Queensland the general rule is simple — fixtures are attached and usually included, chattels are movable and aren't unless the contract says so — but buyers often assume something stays (or goes) without it being written down.

Common situations we see:

• A buyer expecting an item to remain because it "looked built in," when it was actually a chattel the seller was entitled to take.
• The reverse — a seller leaving behind unwanted goods or rubbish, which, if not removed before settlement, the buyer can treat as abandoned and dispose of.

What we advise is to list the specific inclusions and exclusions in the contract rather than relying on what was seen at an inspection, and to raise anything ambiguous before signing. The takeaway: in Queensland, if it matters whether an item stays or goes, name it in the contract — don't leave it to assumption.