Taking shelves when moving house

[legfaced]

We are due to move in a few months. We have long and quite expensive scaffold board shelving in our kitchen - AIBU to take it with us when we move?

[AudHvamm]

When we bought our flat the fireplace in the living room had no surround but a freestanding mantle shelf - a lovely big chunk of wood. When we moved in it had been removed, holes filled in etc. It never even occurred to me that we were entitled to have had it left. FWIW he left other wall shelves and even a fold down table attached to the wall in the kitchen. The two bedrooms have proper fireplaces btw, if he’d ripped those out I would’ve been miffed. I doubt this will be a problem OP, take your shelves, they’re not part of the kitchen.

[Rockster7]

Of course you can take them with you, as others have said there will be a fixtures and fittings form with the contract where you can clearly state that they are not included in the sale. But you will have to make good the wall once you have taken them down, so sometimes it’s worth thinking whether removing things is worth the hassle. I guess it depends on how much you want to keep them and how much they are worth to you.

[ExchangedCat]

We took all our shelving (twinslot) and the previous owner of our new place did the same. It never occurred to me that either of us shouldn't have!

[Shoxfordian]

Depends where you are in the process really. They might not even fit in your new house though

[BluntAndToThePoint80]

General rule (in simple terms) is that if you could pick up the house and shake it, anything that remains fixed stays.

However, if you make it clear on the fixtures and fittings form, you can take anything you like (even a fitted kitchen if you were that way inclined). Just make good any damage after.

If I was told in advance, I’d think you were a tight arse but accept it.

[sauvignonblancplz]

Of course you can take your shelves - fill out the form making that clear when it comes to drawing up contracts .

The buyer , if very enamoured about your shelves can ask, “Will the shelves remain with the kitchen?” The buyer has responsibilities here too.
Our vendor took the cooker that was built in with the kitchen, we thought that was a given to stay but it was part of the contract on his side .
I wasn’t buying the house for the cooker, anymore than I doubt thus buyer is buying the house for two shelves in the kitchen

Take them with you .

[CrayonedWalls]

Hi - when we bought our house the vendor had exactly the same scaffold shelf. It was listed in fixtures and fittings with a price if we wanted to keep it. We didn’t so they took it and made good the wall. 👍

[ChikiTIKI]

You might have paid a lot for them but those types of shelves are so cheap and easy to make... I would just be kind to your buyers and leave them there.

[Zhampagne]

Make it clear that they are excluded on the F&F form and make good the walls after you have taken them down.

The rule of thumb I was told is that anything that would fall off the wall if you turned your house upside down is fair game; if it is permanently fixed to the wall then it is a fixture and should stay unless you specify otherwise.

[Newnamenewopenme]

Replace them with cheap ones the same colour. The buyer will just think they hadn’t paid enough attention originally if they think they’re different

[dudsville]

I'd expect you to take your shelves! I see then as a piece of furniture.

[StarlightLady]

You have to state what you are leaving and what is remaining.

[Bluntness100]

They are part of the kitchen, physically they are attached to the wall and have been incorporated into the kitchen.

If you have a buyer you need to tell them they are excluded and you wish to remove them. Clearly they are not like artwork, no more than the kitchen cupboard which is also attached to the wall is.

[Cadent]

I would take them. Kitchen shelves aren't built in cup boards.

Do people typically curtain poles? Some of mine are double pole and I'd like to keep them.

[Skyliner001]

YANBU. I guess just make sure you don't leave any cosmeticDamage after Removing.

[CrayonedWalls]

@Cadent curtain poles are specifically called out on the f&f form so if you’re taking them you can indicate this here ☺️

[Ballllzac]

If you fill out the fixtures and fittings form appropriately and patch the holes it’s fine. If your buyers care that much they’ll come back to you once they’ve seen the form. Ignore the posters saying your buyer will sue you - just fill out the form correctly!

[LightUpLetters]

Imagine picking your house up and tipping it upside down.

Whatever doesn’t fall is classed as a fixture of the building.

[whichteaareyou]

Didn't you have to do a survey? What did you put for the shelving?

[whichteaareyou]

Inventory sorry

[FrostyGirl66]

Most people on here are in cuckoo land. OH of course it's ok to take shelves with you. Just make sure you state this in the fixtures and fittings questionnaire provided by your solicitor.

[Charleyhorses]

Write it in the form about fixtures and fittings. It will be fine!

[Cadent]

curtain poles are specifically called out on the f&f form so if you’re taking them you can indicate this here

Thanks @CrayonedWalls

From my time on MN, I thought taking curtain poles was devilish. Almost as bad as taking light bulbs!

[GinWithRosie]

OP I have literally just been through selling my house...completed last Friday!

I had two beautiful floating shelves in a 'dead space' in my kitchen. I told any viewers who came round that the shelving was not staging. Also, on selling, you get a form to fill in that goes through all the fixtures and fittings that you will be including or not in every room. On that form I made it quite clear that the shelving was NOT included (also curtain poles and blinds in various rooms). It's important that this form is filled in accurately though.

It was absolutely fine! Shelves were removed and walls 'made good'. They are now up in my new kitchen ☺️

[GinWithRosie]

staying not staging 🤦‍♀️