Common feature in your home can cut house value by up to £15,000 and increase energy bills
A COMMON feature in homes could be cutting their value by up to £15,000 and adding to energy bills.
An estate agent has warned conservatories can devalue a home by thousands of pounds.
And increasingly they are seen as energy-inefficient as they can be too hot to use and need fans to keep them cool in the summer while in the winter they need almost constant heating to keep them warm.
Chris Hodgkinson, managing director of the House Buyer Bureau, said it meant they were “effectively useless” and could wipe £15,000 off the value of your home.
He told This is Money: “An outdated conservatory can be an eyesore which will cause an immediate bad first impression, particularly with younger buyers.
“If it’s not in keeping with the overall style of your home, it acts as a buying deterrent.”
Chris added buyers might be more likely to demolish a conservatory rather than keep it – which can cost an additional £2,000.
“A buyer will ultimately factor this in when putting in an offer on your home, reducing the price you are likely to achieve.”
Chris claimed, based on a conservatory adding 5% to the value of a property, a bad one could wipe £15,000 off based on average home prices.
It comes as households contend with higher energy bills and consider the energy-efficiency of homes more.
This was echoed by Josh Avis, of Phillip Mann estate agents in Seaford, East Sussex, who said buyers were now looking at EPC ratings and building regulations more than ever.
“Traditional conservatories are not energy efficient. What people want now is space.
“Brick-built standard extensions which can be used all year round is now the preferred option as they create a more “liveable” space.
“You see a lot more extensions with pitched roofs and skylights than conservatories being built presently.”
It’s not just outdated conservatories that could be knocking money off the value of your home.
A poorly kept garden or damaged driveway can have a negative knock-on effect.
Clutter or excess hoarding can reduce your property’s value when it comes to selling too.
Meanwhile, dated decor and lingering pet smells can have a detrimental impact.
In other property news, a pensioner has saved hundreds of pounds a month living in a van – but says it’s not been worth it.
Plus, the most popular area to snap up homes for first-time buyers has been revealed.