A loose sofa is a fitting the family may remove
A worked RES examination question on fixtures and fittings, from our Paper 1 bank — with the rule it turns on, and why each of the four options is right or wrong.
The question
The family ask which of the household items pass to the buyer with the flat. Consider the following statements.
- (i) The built-in kitchen cabinets are fixtures and pass with the flat.
- (ii) The ceiling fans wired into the ceiling are fixtures and pass with the flat.
- (iii) The loose sofa set is a fitting the family may remove.
- (iv) The freestanding wardrobe standing against the wall is a fixture that must stay.
The answer, and why
Answer: C
The rule. Built-in cabinets and wired-in ceiling fans are fixtures and pass with the flat. A loose sofa is a fitting the family may remove. A freestanding wardrobe merely standing against a wall is not annexed, so it is a fitting, not a fixture that must stay.
Why C is correct. (i), (ii) and (iii) hold; (iv) is false — the freestanding wardrobe is removable.
The other options.
- B and D carry the false (iv).
- A drops the true (i).
Exam note. Built-in and wired-in stay; loose and freestanding go. The wardrobe is placed to look like joinery and is not.
More on Fixtures and fittings
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