Chattels. What are they? And why is it important to know what they are? Read here to learn what you need to know about chattels. Also find the link at the bottom of this article to our video on Chattels.

What are Chattels?

Chattels, in the context of real estate and everything else, is stuff. Not very complicated but chattels are the possessions, things, items that you see everyday. The one factor that makes a “thing” a chattel, is that it is not attached to real property. In this context, real property is land and any building built on the land. Examples of chattels that come up in the real estate context, are refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, garage door openers, built in vacuum attachments, etc. Things in a house that are attached to the land or the building are called fixtures. They are called fixtures because they are fixed to something. They are attached. A good rule for thumb for telling the difference is that is removing a certain something would leave no damage to the land or house (walls, roof, floors, etc) then it is a chattel. A heavy safe sitting on the floor of a house is a chattel whereas a built in wall safe is a fixture.

Why is it important to know what a chattel is when you buy or sell a house?

In standard real estate purchase contract sin Alberta fixtures are included in the contract (they come with the house by default) and chattels do not. If you are buying and want to get the stove, you must list it in the contract as a chattel that will come with the property. If yo do not, then even if it is listed in the listing (on the listing sheet or the online info on the home) you will not be entitled to it in law. Like wise, if there is something attached, lets say that bult in wall safe, that a seller does not want to sell, then they have to list that under fixtures that are exempted in the contract, or they are obligated to leave it with the home.

Videos on chattels.

Please click here for our video on Chattels.