When you buy a new house you may wonder if any of the existing appliances will be included with the sale of the property. This can vary per sale but for most house sales, freestanding appliances will not be included in the sale of a house.
Integrated furniture on the other hand should be included in the sale of a property. When moving house though you should check what is and isn’t included in the sale of the property before agreeing to the sale.
Fixtures and fittings, as well as new appliances, can cost thousands so having unexpected costs such as these when moving into a new home is unwelcomed. When buying a house it’s important to know what you are getting for your money, the same can be said for when you are selling your house too, you will want to have a document that outlines what the buyer is getting from you.
When moving home you may not want another person’s appliances and you may want to buy new or use your existing appliances. If this is the case you can decline the offer and the seller will have to take their items with them.
If the seller doesn’t take the items with them after you have made the request then you should speak to your solicitor about the best course of action. You could put their items into storage if the process takes time or you may have to pay to have the items removed yourself if the previous owner makes no attempt to remove the items.
Both the above options will cost money though and while you could claim this back in a small claims court it often isn’t worth doing.
Buying a house with appliances included can seem like a good idea as it saves you from buying new but sometimes items can be faulty and you will need to consult with a lawyer to see the steps you can take.
If the items are faulty you can see if they are under warranty and have them fixed for free, this is the best option but sometimes your items will be old and won’t be in warranty. If this is the case you will then have to refer back to your contract during the sale.
If the contract doesn’t mention if the items were in full working order then you will have to replace the items or repair them yourself. If the items were classed as in fully working order then you may be able to claim back the cost of repairs. In situations like this, it’s always best to consult with a lawyer to see your best options.
One of the main benefits is the cost savings of having to buy new appliances, but realistically if these appliances are included then they are being included in the cost of the property anyway so they aren’t free.
For many having appliances included are simply a convenience as they don’t have to find new appliances to fit the design of the home. Integrated appliances for example will need to be the same size as existing appliances.
We have covered some of the disadvantages above as existing appliances can break and it can be unclear who is responsible for fixing them. Existing appliances also may not be as good as your own appliances and you then have to make the difficult choice of whether to get rid of the existing appliances or your own.