Member Article

Moving everything but the kitchen sink

Lightbulbs, toilet roll holders, house number plaques – nothing is safe in a house move, a survey from Bank of Scotland has revealed. More than a quarter of house-movers have admitted to digging up garden plants when they move, leaving unsightly gaps in the garden. Furthermore, one in ten movers take light bulbs, toilet roll holders and towel rails, and one in 20 take house number plaques and even wheelie bins – despite these being the property of the council. Colin Kemp, Director of Bank of Scotland, said: “It would be nice to think that everybody would leave their old homes as they would wish to find their new ones, but unfortunately this is not always the case – despite the fact that people are only saving themselves a relatively small sum by taking items like light bulbs and house number plaques. “The key is to ensure that you have documentation stating precisely what will be left behind or taken. Also know your rights when it comes to what constitutes fixtures and fittings.” Although anything which is fixed or attached is normally considered an integral part of the house, the issue of what constitutes a part of the property for sale is not always clear-cut. It usual for the conveyancer to ask the sellers to complete a ‘Fixtures, Fittings and Contents Form’ to outline exactly what will and will not be left. It is then the buyers responsibility to identify and query any items which they want to dispute before for the sale goes ahead.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .