| Buying a house can be a really stressful | | | | built in the last 30 years, this will |
| time. It's the biggest purchase you'll | | | | probably be fine for you. |
| probably ever make, plus it's a difficult | | | | |
| process to go through. And when you have | | | | The survey will establish if there are any |
| found the right home, there's sometimes a | | | | major problems to be worried about, and |
| little voice at the back of your head saying | | | | whether or not the property is worth what you |
| "what if something goes wrong?" | | | | have agreed to pay. |
| | | | |
| Are you justified having these fears? Or is | | | | If it's an unusual house, you will need a |
| buying a house actually no worse than trying | | | | building survey, which is much more expensive |
| to sell property? | | | | but considerably more detailed (and will spot |
| | | | any serious structural defects). |
| We look at some of the worries you have and | | | | |
| what you can do to fix them. | | | | Another fear of people buying a property is |
| | | | that they will move near the neighbours from |
| First off the obvious ones, caused by the | | | | hell. And for good reason. A survey by the |
| seller. They may gazump you, which is where | | | | Halifax out this week revealed that a quarter |
| they accept your offer for the house then | | | | of us have had neighbourly disputes. |
| later accept a higher offer and reject yours. | | | | |
| This is perfectly legal as the price of the | | | | The biggest problem quoted was noise, topping |
| property is only fixed on the day contracts | | | | the poll with more a quarter of people |
| are exchanged. | | | | blaming it for a dispute. |
| | | | |
| The seller can also throw a spanner in the | | | | A disagreement over boundaries was the next |
| works by withdrawing their acceptance of the | | | | biggest complaint, affecting 14 per cent of |
| offer, for example if they have changed their | | | | people. And then pets and parking were |
| mind about moving. They can even accept more | | | | considered issues. |
| than one offer, in what's known as a contract | | | | |
| race. The first buyer to complete gets the | | | | These are one thing, but here's a statistic |
| house. Amazingly, this is legal. | | | | likely to strike fear into anyone buying |
| | | | property. Eight per cent of complaints in the |
| Another concern is that there will be | | | | survey were caused by antisocial behaviour, |
| something wrong with the actual structure of | | | | other than noise. The behaviour of children |
| the building itself. The fear of subsidence | | | | caused seven per cent of complaints, while |
| or damp is a genuine one - it happens and can | | | | rubbish was only an issue for two per cent of |
| be financially ruinous if it strikes your | | | | complaints. |
| property. | | | | |
| | | | More women than men admitted having a dispute |
| The answer of course is simple and relatively | | | | with their neighbours in the last 12 months - |
| inexpensive. You should get a full property | | | | 34% of women compared to 29% of men. And |
| survey done on any building you are thinking | | | | women were more likely to complain about |
| of buying. Surprisingly, it's estimated only | | | | antisocial behaviour, whereas almost three in |
| one in five people do this when buying a | | | | ten men who had disputes admitted it was |
| home, perhaps because they think the mortgage | | | | because of noise. |
| survey is enough. | | | | |
| | | | Scared you yet? There are ways to fix the |
| But the mortgage survey is there just to | | | | problem of falling out with your neighbours. |
| establish that the house is worth at least as | | | | There are free mediation services available, |
| much as is being loaned on it. For full peace | | | | and you can also ask your local authority's |
| of mind you should consider getting a | | | | environmental health officer to look into |
| homebuyer's report. If your property is of | | | | noise problems. |
| conventional type and construction and was | | | | |