Survey Problems When Selling Your House

This infographic shows some of the most common survey problems that may arise when selling your house. Whether you sell your house to a cash buyer or more commonly a buyer who is purchasing using a mortgage then it’s highly likely that a surveyor will be appointed to not only value your home but to see what problems exist regarding the integrity of the building.

A Chartered Surveyor who is registered with RICS will visit your home and they will either be appointed directly by a cash buyer or if your buyer is purchasing via a mortgage then the surveyor will be appointed by the mortgage lender. In this instance it’s not only the buyers concerns who the surveyor needs to satisfy but also the mortgage lender themselves. The lender will be interested to see if the property is worth at least the agreed sale price and the building is of sound integrity.

An Interactive version of this infographic can be found on the page that discusses our We Buy Any House Service where we endeavour to buy any home regardless of it’s condition. Our house buying service is particularly helpful to sellers who need to fix important issues before their house can be approved by a surveyor but as a seller you may not have the funds ready to remedy any problems. Our offer can be structured so that remedial work is paid for by ourselves and factored into the overall price that we pay for your home. In working like this we have helped many customers get out of sticky situations!

The most common problems that a Surveyor looks for are described in the above infographic and if that’s not enough information for you then an expansion on each issue is discussed below:

Problems To Look Out For:

Can You See Any Large Cracks

If either the internal or external walls of your property has any particularly large cracks this may be a sign of subsidence. Internally, if you have wallpaper then it may be harder to spot but often you can also see movement in the wall paper and feel a crack behind. Subsidence is essentially when your house has sunk into the ground and can occur for a variety of reasons such as roots form trees, clay soil and water drainage issues nearby your property. It’s important that any subsidence is addressed to prevent further damage occurring to the rest of your home. This is usually done through underpinning and can of course be very costly. Rest assured more often than not subsidence is commonly covered by a home insurance policy that you may have.

You May See Holes in Woodwork

The surveyor will look for any signs of damage to the wood work in your property. Strictly speaking it is only any structural beams i.e in your loft that they will take particular interest in. If you do see any holes that look like the presence of woodworm it may be an old infestation and can usually be left as is. If woodworm is currently present then this can easily be treated but if some beams are particularly damaged they will need to either be repaired or a section may need to be replaced.

Do Have any Mould if so you may have Damp

The presence of damp is often more prevalent during the winter months and can often come and go between winter and summer. The surveyor will check the base of your walls with a damp meter for any signs of moisture. Any signs of mould could be an indication of damp within the walls but it may not always be the case. Often mould can be caused by general moisture in the air i.e in the bathroom and if that’s the case it’s not a problem. However, if damp is present within the walls of your property then the Surveyor will insist that the problem needs to be addressed.

Will Having a Damp Issue Stop the Sale Going Through

The presence of damp is such a common problem in the UK that the Surveyor will usually sign off your home and allow the mortgage process to continue on the basis that you get the damp issue addressed within the next few weeks. Fixing a damp issue can be costly this is because the current plaster will need to be removed and a liner placed in the wall, the wall will the need to be re plastered again. Once the work is complete the surveyor will pay another quick visit to approve that the remedial work has been carried out.

If You See Japanese Knot-weed then it Will need to be Removed

It’s a strange scenario but this plant can cause such damage to the structure of a property that an individual can be fined for not dealing with it as the presence of it on your property could also affect any neighbouring properties and of course cost them thousands of pounds of damage. The most effective way of dealing with Japanese Knot-weed is the use of a chemical called Glyphosate and this can either be applied yourself or by a professional company. Simply digging the plant up isn’t enough as any roots left in the soil can ensure that the plant will grow back.

If You Have an Old Property It May Need a Re-Wire

If you bought your house many years ago then it’s likely that you may still have an old wiring system. These days old wiring is seen as a fire risk and your surveyor will inspect your wiring to see if it needs to be upgraded. If your property does need a re-wire then this can cost thousands of pounds and will need to be rectified before your house is sold.

Your Property may have Asbestos and You Don’t Even Know

These days when a property is found to have asbestos the homeowner wouldn’t have even known. That’s because you wouldn't want to live in a property with the presence of asbestos. Asbestos used to be used as insulation within property walls, when left alone and contained it doesn't usually cause a health problem. However when moved or disturbed the small fibres can get lodged in the lungs and cause serious complications so any presence of asbestos can only be removed by a professional company.

Does your Property Meet Energy Certificate Requirements

If your home is newly built then this shouldn't be a problem but many older properties have had to upscale their energy efficiency in order to become mortgageable. The surveyor will require that your property has a valid EPC certificate and if not certain changes will need to be made such as better insulation before a new buyer can buy your home.

The Surveyor will Inspect Various Drainage Issues

Drainage issues can range form a leaky drain pipe to more importantly water logged land. For example if there are drainage problems in and around the land surrounding your home that could cause subsidence in the future. It’s the surveyors job to protect the mortgage lender from future problems arising so drainage issues may need to be addressed.

The Surveyor Will Look at Your Roof

The surveyor will inspect your roof either from the ground or a closer inspection point such as a balcony if possible. They will mostly be looking for any broken tiles and this is to identify any possible roof leaks that could damage the integrity of the building if left undetected.

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