Chattel

Chattel refers to personal property that is movable and not permanently affixed to real estate. In a commercial property context, chattel includes items such as furniture, equipment, trade fixtures, and inventory that a business owns and can remove when vacating a space.

Distinguishing chattel from real property (fixtures) is important in lease and sale negotiations, as it determines what the tenant can take when they leave and what transfers to the buyer in a sale. Lease agreements often include chattel provisions specifying what tenants may remove and what must remain.