Do You Have to Declare Rats When Selling a House?
Estimated reading time 7 minutes
As you may have seen us mention in previous blogs, a smooth, fast, seamless house sale is the goal of all who try to sell a property. Occasionally, however, things get in the way that can disrupt that. Issues found in the survey, price negotiations, mortgage application problems, and perhaps, even rats. All can lead to a rather complicated sales process.
That’s right, rats can disrupt your house sale quite significantly, they can even cancel the sale altogether. Should rats be found, or there is a previous history of rat infestation, you’ll need to declare it when it comes to selling. Just like declaring flooding when selling a house, it’s a legal obligation, so read on to find out more.
Why do you need to declare rats when selling a house?
When you sell a house, there are a few specific things that must be declared. Failure to declare them can be seen as mis-selling your home. This could lead to legal action where not only is the sale cancelled but you are forced to cover legal costs for the buyer.
Rats fall into this category due to the risks they pose. Rats can cause many problems to a property, their curious and industrious nature can see them chew through wires and even walls, leading to potential fire and structural risks.
Then we have the concern of rats passing on the various illnesses they carry. Rat droppings, urine and bites could all see harmful bacteria passed to humans.
Furthermore, as with anything that dies, you have the worry of a rotting corpse. Should rats be hidden under floorboards, in lofts or between walls, you could have a foul smell being omitted even months after you thought your rat problem had been resolved. Not nice for you, or those who may buy your property.
What happens if you don’t declare rats when selling a house?
If you don’t declare the presence of rats when you try to sell your house, you could find yourself facing hefty legal costs. Mis-selling, whether it relates to property or anything else associated with it, comes with large penalties. In some cases, you could be ordered to purchase the house back from those you sold it to.
In many cases though, the survey will establish the existence of rats so even if you were hoping to avoid disclosure, it will become apparent eventually.
Does a surveyor check for rats?
Yes, when conducting the survey, the appointed surveyor will look for evidence of rat or other animal infestations. These could come via droppings, urine or rub marks.
Should the survey indicate that rats are or were present, you might find that the interested parties submit an offer lower than you had hoped or perhaps decide to pull out of the sale.
Declaring rats when selling your home
Declaring rats when selling a house should be done whether the problem is current or one you have fixed. You will need to compile, in plenty of detail, an account of what has occurred.
This will include when the problem happened, what was done to resolve it and if any further occurrences have taken place. As much information as possible is beneficial not only to those hoping to buy your home but also gives you ample opportunity to show you have tackled the problem as best as possible.
Appearing to have done nothing or very little will almost certainly sow doubt in the minds of those considering your house as their future home.
Can the presence of rats devalue your home?
It almost certainly can but much will depend on whether the problem still exists or whether you’ve tackled it. If you have successfully removed the rat infestation, you’d need to illustrate when it happened, how you fixed it and whether measures are still in place to stop it from happening again. Should a rat infestation have occurred many years ago, been tackled and seen no further appearances of the vermin take place, the reduction in value may be small or even nonexistent.
Should it have only been a recent issue, you could see variable amounts knocked off the house price. Much will depend on the severity of any damage caused and the level of risk posed.
Having a comprehensive report from a pest specialist would go some way to helping maintain your property value or at least reducing the reduction.
How can you remove rats if you want to sell your house?
If you have a rat problem in the home, you’ll want to remove them whether you plan to sell your house or not. They are definitely one of the more unwanted intruders in your home.
The best thing to do is hire a qualified pest control expert. They will be able to locate entrance and exit points, the severity of the infestation and set procedures in place to eradicate the problem. This could involve the setting of traps and the use of poison.
This can be costly as multiple visits might be required but there are some things you can do at home yourself.
- Fill holes cracks and gaps to stop them from finding a way in
- Trim trees, shrubs and other foliage back from your home
- Ensure rubbish is correctly disposed of
- Don’t leave traces of food around
- Remove anything that rats have started to make their home
- Set traps
You can also look at essential oils such as peppermint oil to keep rats away. It’s one of those smells they simply aren’t fans of. However, if a food source is nearby, they won’t see any kind of smell as a deterrent.
How can you tell if rats are in your home?
Rats can be quite evasive, but they do make their presence known. The evidence they leave behind such as droppings and urine are one surefire way to know rats are using your home as a base but there are plenty more signs to take note of.
- Damage: If you find chewed wires, gnaw marks or random paths of destruction to paper, food containers or furniture, you might have rats.
- Smell: Rats have a distinctive smell. If you can suddenly smell ammonia and it seems to linger, you likely have rats.
- Noise: Rats make a lot of noise, whether it be scratching, squeaking or rustling, they seem to be constantly active. If you can hear these noises, it might be worth investigating their cause.
Can I sell my house if it has rats?
Yes, you can still sell your home if it has rats, but you must declare there is a problem whether it exists or has been previously dealt with. Be prepared for the potential lower-than-expected offer or for people to pull out altogether and also understand that some buyers may look for you to resolve the problem before they wish to proceed.
It is a legal obligation for you to declare rats when selling a house and making that declaration could be the thing that saves your house sale.
Should you have tried and struggled to sell your home due to rats, speak to Bettermove. In our position as cash house buyers, we can sell your home fast, regardless of location, type or condition. This way you can remove the fears of your buyer pulling out or the sale collapsing at the last minute. Furthermore, the expense of trying to get your house sold is also removed as we sell your house for free, removing all the costly extras you’d normally encounter.
