What Not to Fix When Selling a House (UK)

Preparation is essential when it comes to selling your house.

Properties in bad condition are much more difficult to sell.

But does this mean that you should fix everything in the property?

There are certain things that are not worth fixing at all.

We have explained what these are, and why, in the blog below.

Why should you not fix certain items?

There are a list of things you should do to help sell your house.

Fixing certain aspects of your property is sometimes useful, and sometimes not.

Unless it can be achieved quickly, it might be leaving it…

After all, you want to get a return on investment from any improvements you make. So, if an alteration will delay the sale by several months, you should consider avoiding it.

There are other faults that could make it extremely difficult to buyers to get a mortgage on your house. Examples include:

Flooding history
A short lease length
Serious damp issues
Structural issues (these are most likely to make a property unlivable)

In this instance, the sale perhaps cannot proceed at all without fixes being made. In that case, you may decide that it’s worthwhile.

The alternative to this latter scenario is to find a cash house buyer. They will buy the property in any condition.

It all comes down to who your buyer is

What you fix and don’t fix depends largely on your buyer’s preferences.

In some cases, buyers want a house close to new-build conditions. In others, they are actively looking to buy a fixer-upper house that they can flip for more money later on.

If you are selling your house privately, then the houses’ condition might be something you can agree to change or not either way.

No buyer? Market conditions matter

If you haven’t already got an interested buyer, the answer on what not to fix is: ‘it depends’.

For example, selling your house quickly may not give you the time to make certain fixes.

If you are trying to sell in a buyer’s market, you may need to go that extra mile.

How you sell your house and when you sell your house have an impact, too.

What NOT to fix when selling a house

1. Appliances

Just about every house needs a fridge, washing machine, toaster, and more.

New owners are likely to bring most of their own appliances into the house when they move in.

It is not worth replacing your old appliances with new ones. It is unlikely that buyers will use or keep them anyway.

A potential exception is if your terms agreed that you would provide new appliances.

2. Decoration elements

Everyone has different tastes. There’s no point spending money on decoration that the new owner may not like.

Putting in new wallpaper or decorating the lamps is often a waste of time. The same applies to buying new paintings.

3. Furniture

Everyone needs furniture, but most house buyers want their own furniture.

That said, in some circumstances, buyers want to buy a house with furniture included.

This can be mutually beneficial, as it can save the seller time and money.

4. Major elements of the house

You should avoid making major home improvements that take weeks or months at the last minute. Replacing countertops or flooring are two common examples.

The return on investment from new bathrooms or kitchens, for instance, are often debated. It is never clear how much value these things will add to your house as people have different tastes.

It is a risk to spend time and money implementing new features. You cannot guarantee it will increase your value by the same amount.

A similar argument is often made with increase the Energy Efficiency of your house. Not every buyer places a huge value on your EPC rating.

So if making these adjustments is going to be an inconvenience, it’s often better to not bother at all.

5. Small, insignificant electrical issues

You shouldn’t worry too much about minor electrical issues.

Major electrical problems are worthy of your attention. But if there is one plug socket not working, or a wire that’s been frayed, you can leave it to the new owners.

As long as all the relevant details are in the Seller’s Disclosure Notice, you have done your job.

6. Driveway or walkway cracks

Your property’s driveway is important. So too is the condition of walkways around the exterior of your house.

But small cracks are unimportant to potential house buyers. You should not waste money and time filling them in.

In most cases, viewers of your house will not notice minor cracks at all. And even if they do, it will likely be of no real consequence to them.

The condition of your property and your location are more important than a crack on a walkway.

7. Blinds

If your property has blinds which are old or broken, then you should not waste time and money fixing them.

Instead, you should simply take them down. This will avoid criticism for the condition of your blinds.

It will also give your new buyers a ‘fresh canvas’ to imagine their new house.

Don’t putting too much time or money into home staging

Being too aggressive with your home staging is a bad idea.

Some homeowners rent furniture and put their old items into storage. But since these items are removable anyway, it is often not worth the upheaval.

Home staging is an important part of selling your house. But putting too much time or money into it can be counterproductive.

Landscaping overhauls are another example. Tidying up the garden is one thing. But changing the look and feel of the house can be risky if you don’t know the other person’s tastes.