When was my house built and how old is it?
THE age of your property can prove crucial, particularly if you are thinking about carrying out renovations.
It's worth finding out when your house was built if you plan to make any major changes.
This is because there are rules around what you can do to a property based on its age.
Here's everything you need to know.
How old is my house?
An older home can restrict you in terms of making any renovations.
For example, if your house is too old, or in an area of outstanding natural beauty, you might not be able to add an extension.
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A house built at least 50 years ago is generally classed as "old" - if your bricks and mortar are from before then, it could be deemed a period property.
How to find out when my house was built?
There are a number ways to find out the age of your house:
HM Land Registry
does not keep track of exactly when properties were built, but it does record when the land was sold.
If you bought your home from the developer which built on the land, you can contact the HM Land Registry.
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It can track the transfers or leases made by those developers, which can help you work out your house's age.
Ask the previous owner or seller
If you are looking to buy a house, the vendor must fill out a "seller's property information form".
This may include the house's age - but only if the seller knows it.
If you're in touch with the previous owner you could contact them and see if they know the age of the building.
Your neighbours might also know the age of their property, which could be the same as yours if they have similar architecture.
Local authorities
Your local council may have records of when the planning permission was granted.
Contact the local housing authority and they may be able to help.
Old census records could help you spot if your address existed in a certain year.
You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government's council locator tool.
Mortage survey report
If you are applying for a mortgage, often you will need a survey on the new house.
This survey might include details of how old your house is.
If the exact year is not known, there may at least be an estimate of the decade it was built.
Check the architecture
This can be a big indicator of the age of your house.
Period buildings such as Victorian era or Tudor era housing can have distinct architectural features which you can indicate a rough age for your house.
Again, these might not be enough to pin down the exact age, but you can narrow it down to a specific decade or period.
Other ways to check the age of an older house
If you have an older house, you might want to have a look at properties listed in the 1862 Act register.
Census returns are a great tool to see not only the age of your house but who lived there.
It could also be listed in historic records.
Do houses deteriorate in value?
Yes, and there are three main reasons why this might happen.
An increase in mortgage rates
If mortgage rates rise, then prospective buyers may not be able to afford to pay as much for a property because their monthly repayments will be higher.
Mortgage rates had been low for a number of years but started rising this year following successive Bank of England base rate rises.
They are, however, starting to edge back down to below 4% after the base rate plateaued at 5.25%.
Natural disasters
Anything classed as a natural disaster will require specialist insurance.
This will impact the price of the property, as potential buyers will not want to pay large amounts for a house which requires them to repair damage regularly.
Being on a flood plain could make your home less appealing to would-be buyers as well, forcing the price down.
Foreclosure
This is when a house is prepared to be sold for an amount of money, but the sale falls through after the buyer is not able to pay such money.
The seller is then forced to sell the house for a less amount of money.
Potential buyers tend not to look at an area in which foreclosures are more likely to happen, as it can affect their insurance and future property value.
What adds value to a house?
There has been a trend to "improve not move" in recent years by homeowners who would prefer to splash out on a new extension rather than spend a fortune on stamp duty and legal fees.
There are plenty of factors that can increase the value of your home:
Extensions or other improvements - If you spend money improving your home or adding space to the floorplan this can add value.
Adding an extension or conservatory is a popular way to make a property bigger, or you might knock down the wall between your kitchen and lounge to make an open-plan space.
Changes in the local area - This is obviously out of your control but the state of the local area can impact the value of your home.
When areas start to "gentrify"; or local schools get great Ofsted reviews, it adds to property values and more people want to live by such amenities.
Redecorate - While you might like your 60s style bathroom, a potential buyer might not.
By painting and redecorating you can freshen up your home and add value to it. We've previously looked at four easy decorating tricks that can add thousands to your property value.
Double glaze the windows - Improving the windows can not only help your home look better, but it can also improve energy ratings.
With energy bills still high, double-glazing is one of the most effective ways to keep warmth in and keep chilly draughts at bay.
Am I allowed to renovate an old house?
When renovating your house on any major scale you'll likely need planning permission - although there are times you can build an extension without extra permissions.
Older houses and listed buildings may have additional limitations - so it's always worth checking before you start any major works.
You'll need to submit your planning application to your local councils, and if you have a listed building, you will need Listed Building Consent for any adjustments or demolitions being undertaken.
This is mostly because any alterations will impact its architecture and if any, historic interest.
Experts suggest to first talk it over with your local planning authority to determine what permissions are needed before starting any work - and it's worth getting a professional involved to help you.
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Remember that renovating an old house can be more costly as some replacements might be needed and adjustments to lighting and plumbing might need to be made.
Also, some older houses include materials such as lead or asbestos which can be of danger, so it is advised that you hire professionals to remove these.
You can also join our new Sun Money to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.