Getting into the housing or rental market in recent years has been more challenging than ever. Overcoming the significant financial hurdles to become a first-time buyer is an impressive achievement, but the journey doesn’t end there. The next crucial step is knowing what to look for when viewing a house before you buy.

Ensuring the quality and safety of new homes has always been vital, but recent reports highlight an increase in problems faced by new buyers, especially with newly built properties. These issues have grown to pose serious financial and safety concerns for first-time buyers in the UK.

Naturally, you can’t be expected to instantly recognise all the red flags when buying a house. However, this lack of knowledge makes first-time buyers more likely to miss signs of potential future problems. Issues like rising damp or subsidence can render a home uninhabitable or cost a fortune to fix. Identifying these problems before you invest is crucial to avoid massive expenses or lost value on your investment.

Home insurance experts from Quotezone.co.uk have identified ten essential things to look for when viewing a house. This property viewing checklist highlights the most threatening and costly red flags, offering valuable insight into what to be aware of when inspecting a potential new home.

1. Cracks

1. Look for: Diagonal or jagged cracks in the walls, cracks around windows and doors, extensive cracking in paint and wallpaper, cracks over 15mm wide.
2. Why: Minor cracks are common as a house settles. However, extensive cracks over 15mm can indicate subsidence, where the ground beneath the house sinks, causing the foundations to shift and crack, potentially leading to the collapse of the property.

2. Odours

2. Look for: Smells indicating damp, sewage issues, water damage, pests, or chemical contamination.
3. Why: Odours are harder to mask than visual issues. Musty smells can indicate rising damp, while other odours might point to sewage problems, leaks, pests, or even chemical contamination.

3. Woodworm

3. Look for: Tiny round holes in wood, small piles of dust on wooden furniture, crumbling woodwork revealing tunnels.
4. Why: Woodworm larvae burrow into wood, weakening structural elements like floor joists and roof rafters, causing serious structural problems and expensive treatments.

4. Uneven Floors

4. Look for: Gaps under skirting boards, loose or cracking floorboards, use a spirit level if necessary.
5. Why: Uneven floors could be a sign of structural damage, subsidence, or poor construction, leading to costly repairs.

5. Trees

5. Look for: Proximity of trees to the house, signs of damage, fungus, rot, or dead trees, roots near the home, disruptive species like oak, willow, or poplar.
6. Why: Trees can fall and damage the house, their roots can cause subsidence, structural damage, and block drains. Identifying problem species can prevent future issues.

6. Windows and Doors

6. Look for: Ill-fitting windows and doors, gaps between frames and walls, water damage, foggy panes, sticking doors or windows.
7. Why: Poorly fitted windows and doors can cause damp, increase energy bills, and compromise security.

7. Japanese Knotweed

7. Look for:

7. Summer: Tall plant up to 2.1m, red-hued bamboo-like stems, heart-shaped leaves.
8. Autumn: Clusters of cream flowers.
9. Winter: Standing canes, dulled red colour.
10. Young Plants: Pinkish buds or spears at ground level.

7. Why: Japanese knotweed can damage buildings and is difficult to eradicate, leading to devaluation of the property.

8. Crime Mapping

8. Look for: Local crime rates, insurance costs, visit the area at night and weekends, speak to locals.
9. Why: High crime rates affect insurance costs and quality of life. Researching crime rates helps assess the safety and potential costs associated with the area.

9. Asbestos

9. Look for: House build date (before or after 1999), ask about asbestos testing, speak to neighbours.
10. Why: Asbestos, used widely from 1930 to 1980, poses health risks and can decrease property value. Sellers must declare known asbestos.

10. Flooding

10. Look for: Flood risk information from official sources (Scottish Environment Protection Agency, NI Direct, Natural Resources Wales, GOV.UK).
11. Why: Living in a high flood-risk area can damage your home and make it difficult to obtain home insurance.

By using this checklist, you can better identify potential issues before purchasing a property, ensuring your investment is safe and sound.