Problem
Barbara Gordon operated an apartment building in which she installed custom refrigerators that were built into the cabinetry. The refrigerators included built-in ice-makers supplied with water by a flexible plastic hose from the back of each refrigerator to the copper plumbing system of the apartment. All other appliances were plugged into the wall electrical wiring by a normal electrical plug. As an express term of Barbara's mortgage, all appliances in the apartments were defined as fixtures. Barbara ran into financial difficulties in her apartment rental business and she stopped paying her electric bills and mortgage. The mortgagee foreclosed on the building and the local electric company won a judgement against Barbara. The electric company seized all appliances, including the refrigerators. The mortgagee brought an action to recover the property and appliances claiming all appliances were fixtures, including the refrigerators.
Case analysis:
Discuss the issues raised concerning fixtures, focusing on the legal status of the refrigerators and other appliances.