It’s an exciting time when looking to buy your first home, but it can also be incredibly overwhelming with so much to consider, terminology to remember and things to organise. Once you have completed the sale and exchanged, it can be a great relief but unfortunately, there are many things that can go wrong along the way, making it very frustrating for yourself as the buyer as well as the seller. And if you are looking to get a quick house sale and move quickly, it can seem like the process goes on forever. As well as this, you spend time getting house surveys, valuations and checking all the small print over and over, so when you finally move into your property, it can be heart-breaking to discover that something is wrong with your property. Here you can find out the most common problems that can occur when purchasing a house and how to deal with them.

A property survey should detect any major structural problems, but occasionally things can go unnoticed and you could find yourself with huge problems including subsidence which forces you to leave your home due to potential danger to you and your family. It could end up costing you thousands of pounds to repair which may be unaffordable causing you to sell your home quickly. It can also be difficult in these cases to claim back any money, particularly if completion and exchange have already taken place but you should get property and financial advice to find out what you can do and what your rights are. Before buying a property, always check local laws, particularly if you are buying a home abroad as well as checking local councils for planned developments in the area that could affect your home.

One of the other biggest problems homeowners encounter with their property is flooding and you could find yourself the victim of flooding problems when it is too late. You can check to see if your home is in a high-risk flooding area before purchasing your property and put things in place to protect your home from flooding. But for many people who fail to check, they could end up losing thousands of pounds due to damage to property and contents.

Another problem faced by homeowners is anti-social behaviour or noisy and disruptive neighbours. This can often make people’s life a nightmare with sleepless nights and increased stress and anxiety. If the previous owners have failed to let you know, you could end up faced with these problems when it’s too late. Before you purchase a property it’s worth speaking to other neighbours to get an idea of people living nearby, but if you have already purchased your home and moved in you will need to take action to put a stop to further problems. This could include taking court action or contacting your local council, but either way, it can be incredibly frustrating until it is resolved. The same applies to neighbours with animals, particularly if they are noisy or causing a nuisance. If you have any concerns then you can also contact the property ombudsman as well as speaking to your local council for advice.

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