Honesty and integrity are crucial in the home selling process. As a seller, it’s your responsibility to disclose any known material information that could potentially affect a buyer’s decision to view, offer, and ultimately purchase your home. This means that it’s important to be upfront about any issues or concerns, rather than trying to hide them.

It is essential that the details and descriptions you provide for your home are accurate and truthful because they make up the marketing material for your property.  Buyers are not easily fooled, and such misrepresentations are unlikely to pass their scrutiny.

For example, if your home is located next to a busy motorway, it’s not acceptable to only show photos of the house from angles that hide the motorway. This would be a failure to disclose material information. Similarly, if your home has a history of subsidence or damp issues, this is material information that needs to be disclosed.

Other potential issues that should be disclosed include whether the property is a listed building, subject to probate, or has been affected by Japanese Knotweed. These may seem like small details, but they can have a big impact on a buyer’s decision to purchase the property.

Additionally, it’s important to be honest about any issues with neighbors or the local community. If you’ve had a falling out with your neighbors or there’s a known issue with the local area, it’s better to be upfront about it rather than risk the buyer finding out later.

If your property has any issues with cladding, such as it being a fire risk, it’s important to declare this and provide evidence that it has been inspected and is safe. If your home is off-grid in terms of services or has a non-standard wastewater system, this should also be disclosed. If you are aware that your home is not mortgageable (i.e. only available to Cash Buyers) this must be declared. 

If you list specific items as part of the sale, then they will be included unless specified otherwise as ‘by separate negotiations.’ It is possible to discuss and list items for sale by separate negotiations, and if you agree to leave some items behind, you should inform your solicitor of the updated inventory. However, when it comes to second-hand goods, keep in mind that the price can be significantly lower than what you paid for it, so don’t get offended. Items like carpets, curtains, and blinds are typically cut to fit, so consider whether you can take and use them. If you do, it would be best to repair any holes from the fittings to avoid leaving Swiss cheese walls for the new owners.

Finally, it’s important to note that there are some legal requirements around disclosing certain information, such as whether the property has been the site of a murder or other violent crime. Even if such events occurred a long time ago, they must still be disclosed. The same applies to sex offenders who have lived in the property. In short, transparency is key when selling your home. By being upfront and honest about any known issues or concerns, you’ll build trust with potential buyers and increase the chances of a successful sale.