Mould Tops List of Bathroom Red Flags For Homebuyers
Mould, Space & Water Pressure: 3 Bathroom Deal-breakers Affecting House Sales This Spring
- Almost 9 in 10 (88%) Brits say at least one bathroom issue would put them off making an offer on a house.
- Mould (60%), lack of space (44%), and water pressure (37%) are the top three deal-breakers, with concern intensifying among older generations.
- Co-founder and CEO of Monroe Estate Agents, Jordan Yorath, states the reason is ‘mould is visible and very obvious on viewing’ and a symptom of ‘wider neglect’.
Mould, a lack of space, and water pressure are the three main bathroom deal-breakers when it comes to buying houses for Brits, according to new research from bathroom retailer Sanctuary Bathrooms.
With spring typically one of the busiest periods for buying and selling, 3 in 5 (60%) admitted that seeing signs of mould in a bathroom space would affect their decision to purchase a house.
The poll of 2,000 Brits found, when presented with twelve potential issues varying from colour scheme to various off-putting features of a space, nearly 9 out of 10 (88%) said that at least one potential off-putting factor would affect their decision to make an offer on a property.
And signs of mould being present in a bathroom space topped the list of concerns for Brits far ahead of any other option, with it also being the number one dealbreaker for both genders, though women were slightly more concerned (63%) about the issue than men (56%).
According to the Co-founder and CEO of Monroe Estate Agents, Jordan Yorath, who has contributed expert insight into the findings with Sanctuary Bathrooms, the reason this tops the list for Brits could be evidence of ‘wider neglect’ in homes.
When it came to generational opinions, all age groups were also consistent in this being their number one off-putting issue. However, Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964 were the ones most concerned, with almost 7 in 10 (68%) saying mould would affect whether they bought a house now.
This was followed by Generation X with just over 3 in 5 (61%), Millennials and Silent Generation at just over half (both 56%), while the youngest generation in Gen Z and post-millennials had the lowest percentage willing to let mould put them off although it was still a substantial half (50%).
Mould has become a major issue in recent years due to the health concerns associated with exposure, while the UKHSA estimates that around 3-4%[2] of English homes are affected by significant mould or damp issues in at least one room.
Yorath puts the difference between youngest and more older generations simply down to the fact that “as we get older, time and disruption is something we would rather do without, then compounded by the health concerns.”
Outside of mould, the other major issues that Brits saw as dealbreakers were a lack of space, which over 2 in 5 said was a factor in whether would make an offer on a new property, and water pressure with almost 2 in 5 (37%).
Lack of Space and Water Pressure Make Up Top 3 Issues
Lack of space is a big dealbreaker for many people, with UK bathrooms reported by industry experts to measure ‘little more than 2 metres x 2 metres’[3], while the UK is often cited as having some of the smallest homes in Europe by floorspace.[4]
Both genders continued to align on these issues being the most important alongside mould, with marginally more women being affected by the lack of space (44% vs 43%).
Men, however, felt water pressure was more of an issue, with almost 4 in 10 (38%) citing this compared to 36% of women.
Across the board, across all twelve potential problems, women felt they were more of a deal-breaker when it came to buying a house, or at least equal in opinion, than men did other than water pressure.
The most significant disparities were in whether a bathroom had a shower only (28% women, 19% men) and in the inclusion of coloured toilets and sinks (26% women, 18% men).
Women were also more likely to see any of the issues as a potential dealbreaker with 89% finding at least one of the options being present in a house being viewed providing an off-putting factor, compared to just 86% of men.
Concerns About Property Rise With Age
When it came to generational differences, there was a clear gap in concern levels about particular issues between Baby Boomers and younger generations, especially among Gen Z, who are either currently entering the property market or will do so in the coming years.
However, there was only a marginal difference in how likely each generation was to say at least one issue would affect their decision, with 90% of Gen Z respondents saying so, compared to 86% of Gen X, 87% of Baby Boomers, and 73% of the Silent Generation.
Boomers felt more strongly about the top three issues – mould (68%), lack of space (48%), and water pressure (43%) – than any other generation. For Gen Z, although their top three were the same, their concerns ranked significantly lower: half of them (50%) for mould, and over a third for lack of space (36%) and water pressure (34%).
However, Gen Z respondents were more concerned than their Boomer elders about several secondary issues: a lack of storage (31%; 26% Boomers), the colour scheme (19%; 15% Boomers), and being north-facing/having a lack of sunlight (15%, 13% Boomers).
Commenting on the findings, Jordan Yorath, Co-founder and CEO of Monroe Estate Agents, explains:
“Mould is visible and very obvious on a viewing. It is seen as a symptom of wider neglect, with mould being different to damp – which is also far more concerning to viewers. Health is the most likely reason [for worrying], as fixing it would fall back on the seller or as part of a price negotiation.
“A poor condition or older bathroom will be memorable, especially if other key spaces in the house are looking strong as it will stand out. It doesn’t always derail viewings as I would expect people to account for it in offers. If there are two similar properties priced in line, a buyer will go for the one which is more turnkey and requires less work.
“Before selling, people should fix overpopulated spaces and clutter, dark decoration, smells, and visible damage, all of which should be a priority. If you can create a clear, light home which appeals to the senses, this is a good start.”
Sanctuary Bathrooms’ Director, James Roberts, also said:
“Mould is a major issue for many Brits when buying a house so for any homeowner looking to sell where this may be a problem, leaving it unresolved could reduce both demand, and the ability to negotiate a higher price.
“Generationally, it is a big issue for all age groups, however, it is particularly of importance for those buying as they come into, or are already in, their retirement years who no doubt want to spend less, and deal with less serious problems in their later years.
“When it comes to lack of space and water pressure, looking at ways to showcase how to maximise the footprint of a room, as well as testing existing fittings like taps and showers, and investing in new fittings and adding a pump to boost flow and water pressure could also help improve sale potential.”
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