With the start of the springtime home buying surge just around the corner, Lloyds TSB Insurance is warning that house-hunters risk domestic disaster by failing to conduct sufficient research before parting with their cash.

It is easy to be seduced by a property’s appearance but Lloyds TSB Insurance is warning that too many of us do not look past the décor and fail to assess a property’s home security credentials, risking massive expense in order to bring the property up to security scratch.

With this in mind, Lloyds TSB Insurance has compiled an ‘at a glance’ guide for would-be homeowners to help them avoid potential property pitfalls.

Phil Loney, Managing Director of Lloyds TSB Insurance says: “This time of year would-be homebuyers are most likely to be found with their noses buried in the property pages or scouring the internet in search of the perfect pad."

"Yet property purchasers are not always using the same meticulous research when it comes to checking out a property’s security features before signing on the dotted line.”

Guide:

• Work out exactly how much you can afford and stick to it. Don’t be tempted to view a property above your budget – you may need the money to make repairs or redecorate once you move in.
• Think like a burglar and ask yourself the following questions: are there high walls or shrubs obscuring the front of the house, do the windows have locks, is there a burglar alarm or security lighting there any aspects you don’t like such as a secluded alley at the end of the garden?
• Take a friend with you who can be dispassionate and can point out flaws that you might miss.
• Check if the property has smoke detectors fitted and whether they are working.
• The décor may be fantastic, but what is it hiding? Look for signs of damp, mould, woodworm, loose or creaky floorboards and signs of subsidence such as cracks in the walls.
• Take a checklist with you: double glazing, central heating, insulated loft, re-wired electrics, taps, toilets and showers work? – home improvements are costly.
• Make sure you check door and window locks meet insurers’ minimum requirements– they can be expensive to replace.
• If you like a property, go back to it at night and on a weekend to check for noise or evidence of disturbance.