Stepping through the front door of a dream home might take your breath away but, for many house-hunters, overlooking practicalities can end up costing a fortune in the long run.
You might fall in love with high ceilings, original features and the traditional pub over the road but how many plug sockets has the property got? And what are the neighbours like?
A survey will cover the building’s structure but seemingly trivial issues can make your dream home a nightmare if you don’t know what to look for.
We asked around the Confused.com office to see how homeowners and renters have been stung in the past by not checking the property thoroughly.
Common problems
A survey will ensure the building is structurally sound and safe to live in but there may be hidden problems that are easy to hide.
Greg North, QA analyst at Confused.com, advises: “Most landlords will throw a lick of paint on the walls to cover up issues with damp and black mould so I always look around the window sills and on the back of any furniture.”
Don’t be afraid to move furniture to check for damp, cracks or even stains on a carpet.
How is the home heated?
Boilers are essential for home heating and can be very expensive to fix if something goes wrong. So, always ask how old it is, what the model is – so you can check the energy efficiency rating – and ask when it was last serviced.
Worse still, check the property has central heating. Many period properties rely on night storage heaters, which can be outdated and impractical.
Something wrong with the wiring?
Electrical faults might not always be obvious but they’re expensive to fix so it’s always worth getting a qualified electrician to check the property if you’re about to buy.
Lisa Greenfield, Confused.com’s energy analyst, found this out the hard way. “Check out the electrics. Even if you pay a surveyor for a full homebuyer’s report, it doesn’t cover the electrics in detail - mine failed two months after moving in,” she said.
Avoid unwanted guests
Siju Georg, system’s developer, moved house to find a bees’ nest. “Recently I noticed bees moving around my window and later found a big bee hive is within the wall unit of my house.
“It was such a pain to get them out. So watch out for bees when you rent a flat or house, especially in summer.”
Check for woodlice as well – they’re difficult to get rid of and can signal a wider damp or rot problem.
No one likes a cold shower
Most people like a hot bath or shower but for some it’s a real deal-breaker. If it’s crucial that you have a power shower then make sure you check it.
Don’t shy away from running the taps, both hot and cold to check the water pressure. A healthy system will have a good flow from all taps and a shower with a solid, strong flow of water. Listen to the boiler too, if it makes strange noises when the taps run it might need looking at.
Is the property well connected?
Most people today want a broadband connection or some sort of television service.
You can check broadband signal if you know the postcode, here. The same goes for mobile phone networks: check your phone’s coverage when you’re there.
Alex Higgs, head of bike insurance at Confused.com, says: “At least two people I know have moved into rooms where they couldn’t get phone signal for whatever reason. It’s more of a problem away from cities.”
What are the neighbours like?
Moving in and realising you’ve got neighbours from hell can be a nightmare,
Visit the property at different times of the day. That way you’ll notice any difference in noise levels. It’ll also flag up any lighting issues or parking problems, for example.
Joby Russell, head of marketing communications, warns house hunters to check the area online with a postcode checker.
“Always run a postcode analysis on a site like upmystreet.com first to find out what your neighbours are like and check for things like yapping dogs next door.”
He also recommends checking out any future building consent near the property and looking into the area’s flood history. If you’re buying, your solicitor should be able to help with these enquiries.
New-build vs period property
Some renters and buyers might favour a new-build because they’re generally a blank canvas with fewer problems like damp or structural issues. But they also have their faults.
Marketing executive Hannah Tovey says it’s important to check the internal doors in a new build.
“I’ve been going around a few new builds recently and they all seem really spacious and you could fit loads of furniture in but when I looked closer I realised that there were no doors on any of the rooms.
“If you account for door opening space you wouldn’t be able to get half of your furniture in the room.”
Is there anything else to watch out for? Tweet us @confused.com or email me
lois.avery@confused.com
with your suggestions.
