Tips to Safeguard Appliances in Home Sale

When you buy a home, you expect to be able to kick back and cook a meal after a long day of moving (or at least reheat the take-out) and break open the bubbly (or a cold beer) to celebrate the momentous occasion. But what if the kitchen appliances are missing or you discover they’re different than the ones in the home when you first toured the property?

In the excitement of purchasing a home, it’s not uncommon for buyers to assume major appliances like the fridge, stove, dishwasher and washer/dryer come with the sale. However, what you get depends on the details of your Agreement of Purchase and Sale.

When making an offer, ask your Realtor to clearly identify in written terms what is included with the purchase of the property. Plug-in appliances are normally considered as chattels and typically set out as inclusions in this part of the agreement (though a schedule may be attached). Your Realtor should be specific when describing the items by noting their make/brand, model, serial number and colour, wherever possible. This will help avoid potential problems should the seller remove items prior to closing or substitute high-end appliances with lesser models.

Once armed with this information, you can also use it to find out if any of the home’s appliances have been recalled by simply doing a Google search. Some home inspection companies include a ‘recall check’ as part of their service. Appliances identified during your inspection are checked against a growing database of outstanding recalls. If affected, you’ll receive a report and advice on getting it resolved by the manufacturer.