Buying a house is the biggest purchase that most people will make in their lifetime, but it’s by no means straightforward.
For first-time buyers, the sheer amount of bureaucracy can be daunting. It can also be difficult to make a judgement on the suitability of a property if you don’t have sufficient practical knowledge about buildings.
Why are property checks important?
When you’re spending a vast amount of money, you want to know as much as possible about what you’re buying.
Solicitors will conduct searches to help make you aware of any issues before you complete the purchase. The searches can relate to:
- Local authority: Provides all the information the council has on the property, such as planning permission and restrictions.
- Land Registry: Checks the seller legally owns the property.
- Environmental: Finds out whether the property is built on land that could be hazardous to your health. You’ll also discover the risk of flooding.
- Water authority: Checks whether there are any public drains on the property and where your water is sourced from.
While you can expect your solicitors to advise you of any issues, they could miss something that proves costly later down the line. For example, you may be able to make a professional negligence claim if you are not notified of something that later affects the value of your home or leads to you developing an illness.
What else needs checking?
Structural integrity
Typically more important with older properties – although also common with new builds – getting information on structural integrity is key.
When viewing the property, keep an eye out for any cracks in the walls or on the exterior. Water damage is also something to look out for, as is the condition of any wood (such as beams) that is an essential part of the structure.
Getting a HomeBuyer Report conducted by a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) will be particularly useful if you’re not too sure what you’re looking for.
Damp and mould
Obviously, any visible signs of damp are worth being wary of – if the seller could get rid of it, surely they would have done so before putting the house on the market?
A HomeBuyer Report will also check for this, but their access to the floorboards and walls may be limited if they cannot remove wallpaper or lift carpets.
Not only can damp and mould be hazardous to your health, but they can also result in the need for expensive repairs.
Services
You’ll want to get a report on the state of the electrics to know if a rewire is required. This would be an expensive process that will also require all rooms to be redecorated afterwards.
Getting information on the boiler is also important. Buying a house with an old one that is out of warranty could leave you having to shell out for a replacement soon after moving in.
Also, ensure any white goods included in the sale are safety checked by a qualified technician.
