Both a buyer and seller have an opportunity to leave out certain fixtures from a sale and also add in certain chattels.
Generally, fixtures pass with the land. If you picked the house up, turned it upside down and gave it a good shake – what would fall out?
In most homes, a fridge, a microwave and a dishwasher would.
A free-standing dishwasher is a chattel. If you are selling the house and want to keep your dishwasher, don’t write it in the contract. If you are making an offer to purchase a house and would like to keep the dishwasher then you should write it in the ‘included chattels’ section of the contract.
Where the dishwasher is fully integrated (that is, built-in to the kitchen and hidden behind a cupboard) this type of dishwasher has the characteristics of a fixture.
Buyers - don’t get caught out when you complete your pre-settlement inspection and notice a large gap where a shiny appliance used to stand. Write it in the contract, or get ready for some serious hand washing.
