Red flags when buying a house

#1: Fresh paint in suspicious places

A freshly painted wall is lovely. A freshly painted wall that's slightly damp to the touch, or that smells a bit… musty? Less lovely.

Damp is a common issue within UK properties, and it's also one of the easiest things to disguise with a tin of paint. While you're viewing, look for dark patches on ceilings, peeling wallpaper, mould around window frames, or that unmistakable smell of a property that's had water where it shouldn't.

#2: Cracks that are more than cosmetic

A few hairline cracks in the plasterwork? Totally normal, especially in older homes. Diagonal cracks running from the corners of doors or windows, or anything over about 15mm wide? Worth a closer look.

Wide or uneven cracks can be a sign of subsidence, where the ground beneath the property shifts and the foundations move with it. It sounds dramatic, and it can be, but a good surveyor will be able to tell you what you're actually dealing with.

#3: It's been on the market forever

If a home has been sitting on the market for months, it's worth asking why. Sometimes it's simply that the asking price is too ambitious, while other times, previous buyers may have pulled out after a survey came back with bad news.

You can check a property's listing history on most platforms and portals, so look for price reductions, re-listings, or a ‘first listed’ date that's further back than you’d expect. You can also ask the estate agent directly how long it's been on the market and whether any sales have fallen through. You're entitled to know, and the answer could save you a lot of time and solicitor fees.

#4: The seller has only just moved in

If the vendor has lived there less than two years, it's worth a gentle: So, why are you moving?

There are plenty of perfectly innocent reasons: a new job, a growing family, a change of circumstances. However, occasionally a short stay means something about the property, or the area didn't quite work out as planned.

 

#5: Viewings only at very specific times

If the vendor is very particular about when you can view, it's worth wondering what a visit at a different time might reveal.

A busy main road at rush hour, a pub that gets lively on Friday nights, a nearby business with early morning deliveries… these things can feel very different from the quiet Sunday afternoon viewing you were offered.

Try to arrange a second viewing at a different time of day and do a casual walk or drive-by on your own terms before making an offer.

#6: Dodgy DIY

A freshly tiled bathroom or a painted fence, great. A rewired kitchen done by someone's uncle with no paperwork to show for it, less great.

Electrical work, extensions, loft conversions and structural alterations should all have the relevant planning permissions and building regulations sign-off. Work done without proper approval can cause complications when you come to sell and can also affect your home insurance.

Ask to see documentation for any significant work. Your conveyancing solicitor will also make enquiries about planning history as part of the purchase process.

#7: Flood risk!

With UK flooding becoming more frequent, flood risk is worth checking early, ideally before you've emotionally committed.

The government's flood risk map shows whether a property sits in a higher-risk zone. This can affect both the availability of home insurance and what you pay for it. Search the address before viewing. If the risk is elevated, factor the insurance implications into your thinking about the total cost of owning the property.

#8: The shared driveway

Shared driveways are responsible for more neighbourly tension than almost anything else in residential property. Who maintains it? Who pays for repairs? What happens if someone parks across your half?

Ask the estate agent or vendor how the arrangement works in practice, and whether there have been any issues. Your solicitor will check the legal position as part of your conveyancing.

#9: Japanese knotweed

Japanese knotweed is the property world's villain origin story; it's an invasive plant that can damage foundations, walls and drainage. Sellers are legally required to declare it on their TA6 property information form if they know it's present.

Mortgage lenders can be cautious about properties with knotweed unless a professional management plan is in place. Raise it early if you spot anything suspicious in the garden.

#10: Your gut is telling you something

This one's harder to put in a survey, but it counts. If something feels off, the seller seems reluctant to answer questions, rooms have been styled to distract from certain areas, the estate agent changes the subject when you ask about the neighbours, trust that feeling enough to dig a bit deeper.

Make a note of anything that felt slightly off after the viewing and raise it with your solicitor or surveyor. That's exactly what they're there for.

Found the one? Protect it properly.

Buying a home is genuinely exciting, and none of this is here to ruin the romance. The more you go in knowing what to look for, the more confident you can feel about the decision you're making, whatever it turns out to be.

Once the keys are in your hand, one of the first things to tick off the list is home insurance.

Luckily, with Sheilas’ Wheels, it’s quick and straightforward, so you can get back to the important stuff (like deciding where the sofa goes and which cupboard will become the miscellaneous one!).

Get a home insurance quote with Sheilas' Wheels today.