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6 PLUMBING CHECKS FOR HOME SELLERS

If you’re thinking about selling your home, now or in the new year, you’ll want to ensure that you get a good price for it – and the condition of your plumbing will come in to this.

Below are the main plumbing factors that surveyors and buyers will consider when deciding how much they will pay for your property.

Is a Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) available?

It’s a legal requirement to have your boiler serviced every year and many estate agents won’t market your property until you can produce the right documentation.

Before you put your house or flat up for sale, arrange for a Gas Safe registered engineer to inspect the gas appliances within your home. If safety standards are met, you’ll be issued with a Gas Safety Certificate (CP12), which you can then pass on to your estate agent, and upon completion, your buyers.

Are your pipes starting to rust or decay?

Surveyors will pay close attention to the pipes in your home. If there is any sign of rust, green patina, a leak or mould, this could seriously impact the amount of money mortgage providers will lend to buyers, consequently reducing the total you’ll receive for your property.

It’s dangerous to try to tackle any of these ailments yourself – for instance, rust could be blocking a leak, so if you remove it you’ll risk further damage to your home caused by water escape.

A qualified plumber, who can help you solve the problem and prevent your home losing its value, should address any corroding pipes as soon as possible.

How old is your boiler?

Combination boilers have become increasingly popular and are a real selling point. If you’ve recently had one installed, make sure you have the relevant paperwork to reassure your buyers that a qualified professional has fit it.

If you’re running a broken or temperamental boiler, your buyers will require a new one. With modern boilers costing up to £3,000, your buyers will be factoring in this expense when they make their offer on your property, and could deduct this sum from your asking price.

Is the heating efficient?

When viewing a property, many people ask for the heating to be turned on to see that it’s working properly. Will your home be warm by the time they have finished looking around?

If the radiators are not generating enough heat, or if certain floors in your home are warming up whilst others remain cold, it could be a sign that the system needs bleeding or that the boiler pressure needs adjusting. If you’re not sure how to do this, seek professional guidance.

If this doesn’t work, there may be deeper problems with the heating system. In most cases, central heating has been installed some time after a property was built and added to over the years. This means that part of the system may not adequately be working in tandem with other sections. The best thing is to get a diagnosis from your plumber to understand the implications of this, estimate how much money will be needed to update it and whether it’s appropriate for you to take responsibility for doing so or if you should hand it over to your buyers.

Are your drains clear?

Blocked drains cause water leaks and damp, as well as unpleasant smells – all of which can seriously turn a buyer off.

Blockages are usually cheap and easy to confront, as it’s often a case of simply removing excess leaves and debris caught in the fittings. If you’ve instated a drain guard, make a point of telling your estate agent and viewers, because many buyers will be relieved that they’ll only need to remove superficial obstructions in the future, rather than having to delve deeper into drains and pipes.

Is the bathroom up to scratch?

For many buyers, the bathroom is the deal breaker.

The room must look clean and hygienic and the features must work efficiently. So, if your bathroom is a bit of a sight for sore eyes, or if the water pressure is not up to par, you may want to install new bathroom furniture and/or arrange for the plumbing to be updated.

When it comes to buying new bathroom furniture, try to avoid strong themes, as a simple suite is more enticing for buyers who want to make their own mark on the property.

Bar the need for an entirely new central heating system, an isolated presence of an issue on this list is unlikely tocompletely dissuade a buyer from purchasing your property. However, you want your buyer’s surveyor to flag up the least amount of problems to secure your asking price, thus speaking to a qualified engineer as early as possible in to the selling process can really make a difference.

If you’d like to learn of other ways to increase the value of your home, click here to read our top tips.

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