You can legally sell a property in any condition. What changes is who can buy it and how. A house with dated interiors will sell to almost anyone. One with serious structural movement, no working kitchen, or significant fire or water damage may only suit buyers who don’t need a mortgage. This guide helps you work out where your property sits and what your options are.
Why condition matters so much
Most buyers need a mortgage, and mortgage lenders need the property to be good security for the loan. If the lender’s valuer finds serious problems, they may lower the valuation, hold back part of the loan until work is done, or refuse to lend at all. When that happens, the buyer often can’t proceed — which is one of the most common reasons sales fall through.
What can make a property hard to mortgage
- No working kitchen or bathroom.
- Structural movement, subsidence or significant cracking.
- Serious damp, rot or roof problems.
- Fire or flood damage that leaves the property unsafe or uninhabitable.
- Some types of non-standard construction.
- Unfinished building work, or work without the right approvals.
Lenders’ criteria vary, so a problem that stops one lender may not stop another. But if the property can’t realistically be mortgaged, your buyers are limited to people buying with cash — usually builders, developers, investors, or direct buyers.
You must be honest about problems
When you sell, you’ll complete a property information form (often called the TA6) that asks about things like disputes, alterations, flooding and known defects. You’re not usually required to commission surveys, but you must answer honestly. Giving false or misleading answers can lead to a claim against you after the sale.
Should you repair it first?
Sometimes repairs pay for themselves; often they don’t. Before committing, get proper quotes and ask a local agent what the property would be worth with the work done. Consider:
- Whether the increase in value is likely to be more than the cost of the work — including your time.
- How long the work will take, and what it costs to own the property in the meantime (council tax, insurance, bills, mortgage).
- Whether you have the money and energy to manage builders, especially from a distance.
- Whether the work needs planning permission or building regulations approval.
Small, cheap fixes — clearing, basic repairs, making it safe — can widen the pool of buyers. Major projects are often best left to a buyer who is set up to do them.
Your options for selling
On the open market, as it is
An estate agent can market the property as a renovation project. That can attract cash buyers and people looking for a project, and may achieve a good price, but expect a smaller pool of interest and a higher chance that mortgage-dependent buyers drop out.
At auction
Auctions often suit properties needing work, because buyers expect to be buying with cash and can’t easily back out once contracts are exchanged. Check the fees on both sides and set a sensible reserve.
To a direct buyer
A direct buyer will make an offer that already accounts for the work. That usually means a lower figure than the open market after renovation, but you don’t need to fund the works, clear the house or wait for a buyer who can get a mortgage. A good buyer should show you how they’ve allowed for the repairs. You can see how we do that in how we reach our offer.
If it isn’t safe
If the property has a dangerous problem — unstable structure, fire damage, exposed wiring — make it secure and keep people out. Tell your insurer, who may also need to be involved in any claim. Don’t allow viewings until it’s safe to do so.
Whatever the condition, you don’t need to be embarrassed about it. See the types of properties we buy, or read more about selling a house that needs renovation.