When people buy or sell homes, there is endless debate about what is a fixture and what is a chattel. I remember one purchase where I had a long, drawn-out discussion with the vendor’s lawyer after closing about whether the central vacuum canister was a fixture or a...

Most people (in Ontario, anyway) rent their hot water heaters. What happens when you sell your house? Most agreements will provide that the hot water tank rental is to be assumed by the buyer. Generally, this is quite simple; if your rental is through Enbridge, as...

We got an interesting call at the office a few weeks ago: my partner's client was told by the seller of his home that the furnace was going with them. When my partner called the seller's lawyer to ask for an explanation, he explained that the furnace was a chattel,...