Define: Fixtures and Fittings
In a contract, Fixtures and Fittings refers to items attached to or contained within a property that are included in a sale, lease, or transfer. Fixtures are permanently affixed to the structure, while fittings are movable items not fixed to the property. The contract should specify which items are included to avoid disputes at completion or handover.
Legal accuracy standard set & glossary spot-checked by Imad Mohammed Nazar , Skadden-trained M&A lawyer, Legal Engineer at GenieAI
What Fixtures and Fittings Means in a Contract
Fixtures and Fittings is a term used to describe items associated with a property that may or may not transfer along with it when ownership changes or when a lease begins or ends. Fixtures are objects that have become permanently attached to a building, such as boilers, fitted kitchens, or built-in wardrobes, and are generally treated as part of the property itself. Fittings, by contrast, are items that can be removed without causing damage, such as curtains, freestanding furniture, or light fittings that are simply plugged in rather than wired into the structure.
The distinction matters because a contract for the sale or lease of property will typically state, expressly, which fixtures and fittings are included in the price or rent, and which are to be removed by the seller or tenant before completion or vacation. Without clear wording, disputes commonly arise over whether an item was intended to pass with the property.
This term appears most often in transactions involving Relevant Circumstances
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