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Fixtures & Fittings
When buying or selling a home the Scottish Standard Clauses are used across Scotland in purchase and sale contracts. Their purpose is to increase the efficiency of concluding a purchase or sale, as well as to give clarity to the purchaser and the seller, i.e. you know exactly what is included in the purchase or sale and the responsibilities of each party.
The Clauses detail moveable items that are included in the price. Many of these make common sense, such as integrated white goods and light fitting; however, as technology advances more modern technologies are also increasingly included.
It is important to be aware of all the items included in the sale price, as not only will you be in breach of contract if they are removed (if you are the seller), your new home may not have the benefit of your items and they will need to budgeted for you to purchase yourself..
The general rule of thumb is that anything that would damage the fabric of the property should remain. In recent years, this has come to include TV brackets for wall hanging TV’s (but not the TV itself) as well as smart thermostats (such as Hive Heating) and integrated sound systems, including the speakers. With electric vehicles becoming more common as we progress towards to net zero, charging points are also included. Whilst they are expensive to install, and can only be used for an electric car, they are connected to the property’s electrical system and so will remain as part of the property on sale.
Every year, the Scottish Property Committee meets to review the items that are considered a fixture and fitting, and with a new edition in the pipeline it is anticipated that more items will be added to the list. Watch this space!
To find out more about selling your home, contact our property team on 01224 564636 or email us at property@raeburns.co.uk.
