7 Property Problems that May Leave your Home Unsellable

Updated: August 2023

Did you know that a single plant like Japanese Knotweed can grow up to 4 inches per day and potentially halt the sale of your property?

Homeownership is filled with unexpected challenges, especially when dealing with problem properties. From invasive plants to structural issues, these problems can render a home unsellable.

In this article, we will explore seven critical aspects of problem properties that could affect your investment’s value and marketability.

The infographic above lists 7 potentially dangerous property problems that could leave you with countless sleepless nights and undue stress you can certainly do without.

Let’s take a look at these problems in a little more detail.

1) Troublesome Tenants

If you’re a landlord who has ever managed rental properties, then you’ve no doubt encountered troublesome or hard-to-deal-with tenants. These tenants can often suck the life out of you for several reasons, some of these include:

• Tenants who have stopped paying or don’t pay rent at all.
• A tenant who refuses to leave the house.
• Tenants who keep the house in poor condition and don’t maintain the property.
• Tenants who won’t sign a new lease.
• A tenant who refuses entry to the landlord or tradesperson so it can be refurbished.

It can be tough to deal with these types of tenants as there are various laws and legal procedures a landlord must abide by and follow before an eviction can take place, which can also take a very long time.

2) Damp Issues

Damp in a house is very damaging to the property and its occupants as there are many health issues that can come from people living in damp and mouldy places.

Home buyers generally stay away from properties where damp is present as it can prove challenging and tricky to deal with. In addition, getting rid of damp and then dampproofing a house is not cheap, so potential buyers prefer not to get involved. There are a number of different types of dampness that could affect your home, and they are:

• Rising damp.
• Condensation.
• Penetrating damp.
• Damp from walls and floors drying out.
• Damp from poor plumbing.
• Chemical damp.

Click here for more information on different types of damp that could affect your home.

3) Structural Problems

Structural problems are another type of ‘problem property’ that can be very hard to deal with depending on the severity of movement in the property.

Generally speaking, most houses will undergo some movement during their lifetimes, but because the movement is very slight, it rarely causes any issues. However, it’s not uncommon for homes to have significant structural movements, which is when the problems start. These large shifts in movements can compromise a property’s safety leaving it unsafe to live in. Furthermore, these large movements can often cost a considerable sum of money to repair, leaving your average homeowner in two minds as many of them cannot afford to pay for the repair work.

Related: 5 Ways to Spot Structural Problems

4) Japanese Knotweed

Japanese Knotweed is one plant you do not want growing anywhere near your home. Also known as Fallopia Japonica, it is a fast-growing weed that can stop your chances of getting a mortgage or selling your house.

The weed can cause substantial damage to your property because it grows out fast, taking over gardens in no time. It’s estimated that Japanese Knotweed can grow up to 4 inches per day in the right summer conditions!

Other issues surrounding this plant are the price and how long it can take to get rid of completely. It’s estimated to remove a small patch; you’d be looking at around £1500 plus 6 months of your time!

For homeowners with Japanese Knotweed present in their homes, thought’s like ‘will anyone ever buy my house‘ are sadly very common.

For more advice on how to deal with Japanese Knotweed, visit the RHS.

5) Tree’s Hindering the Property

It could prove hard to sell if you have trees growing in and around your home. If the trees are not maintained, they could lead to a host of problems for your property which include:

• Trees grow out so much that they begin to hinder gutters and drains.
• A tree’s roots grow out, affecting the foundations of your property.
• Tree roots grow out of the surface in and around your home, causing cracks and damage to your driveway and other areas of your home.
• You may have been issued a TPO (Tree prevention order), which makes it, so you aren’t allowed to remove a said tree regardless of how close it is to your property.

6) The Type of Construction

The type of material your property is built from can also affect how easily you can sell it. Some uncommon build types could prove difficult to sell as lenders are less likely to mortgage them.

• Timber frame.
• Steel Frame.
• Concrete framed.
• Prefabricated (also known as prefab homes which are dwellings that have been manufactured off-site in sections and then assembled at a building site)

7) Issues with Leasehold, Freehold and Management Companies

It’s fairly common for leaseholders and homeowners alike to have issues with leasehold, freehold and management companies.

Leaseholders who are looking for a mortgage on a property can struggle if the lease has less than 70 years remaining on it as lenders and building societies won’t agree to it, making the property unmortgageable, thus scaring away any potential buyers.

Freeholders can become difficult to negotiate with when leaseholders come around to try and extend their leases and sometimes even start ignoring people altogether. In addition, leaseholders with little experience and funds can struggle to extend their lease.

Management companies that manage leases often become aggressive and try to rip off leaseholders by charging them exorbitant fees and being very unfair during the process. This, again, will put off many buyers from your property as people do not want the extra hassle.

A Final Word

Selling ‘problem properties’ via traditional methods can be tough as your typical homeowner wants to buy a property they can move into immediately without any issues. Problem properties generally require a lot of extra effort, and even if you were to sell the house cheaper, people would still think twice before purchasing it.

That said, it’s not all doom and gloom & we here at Housebuyers4u can help.

As a genuine sell house fast company, we buy houses for cash even if it has ongoing ‘problem property’ issues. In addition, with us, you won’t have to worry about any ‘we buy any house scams’ as we are genuine cash buyers and have the cash reserves in place to purchase a property at any time.

If your property is a victim of one of the above problems, we could be exactly what you’re looking for.