Buying a home is a comprehensive process, and there are many things you as a buyer need to have under control if you want to avoid unexpected bills of many thousands of kroner. So what should you be aware of when buying a house?
As a house buyer, it can be a difficult task to get an overview of potential hidden costs associated with your dream home, and therefore it can be a really good idea to have a professional buyer's advisor review your housing situation. That said, there are a number of things you should always investigate before signing the purchase agreement.
Is your home restricted by local plans? Local plans (lokalplaner) and/or easements (servitutter) can put a damper on the joy of having found your dream home, because they can prevent you from making changes to your property. Municipal local plans and easements on your property can, for example, prevent you from building an extension or converting the basement into living space.
Are there plans for separate sewage systems?
The Danish sewage network is overloaded due to increasing amounts of rain and a growing population, and to relieve the problem, municipalities across the country are introducing separate sewer systems (separatkloakering) for rainwater and wastewater. If your municipality has decided that separate sewage systems must be installed on your plot, you are the one who has to pay for the work, and it can become a very costly affair.
Is your entire home approved for habitation?
A home with a first floor fitted out for habitation doesn't necessarily mean that the first floor is approved for habitation. It is the municipality that approves suitability for habitation, so you should contact your municipality to find out whether the entire home is approved.
Is your plot contaminated?
More than 40,000 plots are contaminated in Denmark, and cleaning up a contaminated plot costs a lot of money. As a starting point, you are not obliged to pay for the cleanup unless you yourself are responsible for the contamination. However, the contamination can cause your plot to fall in value and become difficult to resell later on.
What condition is your roof in?
You should also find out what condition the roof of your home is in. If it's an old roof that will soon need replacing, you can expect to pay several hundred thousand kroner for a new one. The condition report (tilstandsrapport) describes the roof's durability and any immediate damage, but not all problems are visible to the naked eye, which is why you should have the roof checked by a professional.
What will you pay for district heating?
Overall, district heating is cheap, but prices can vary significantly even within the same municipality. You should therefore check the prices at the local district heating plant, as well as whether your municipality requires mandatory connection to a specific heating plant.
Is your home protected against flooding?
Flooding is not just a nuisance in itself but can also lead to moisture damage to the home, which in the worst case can damage the house's structure and materials and cause mould. Is your home and plot designed so that rainwater is diverted away from the house? Or do you need to build measures to avoid flooding and moisture damage?
Are there old wells and sewer pipes on your plot?
Old wells and sewer pipes have a higher risk of cracking, and if they break, they need to be dug up and replaced, which will take a proper bite out of your wallet. Wells and sewer pipes are usually not inspected in connection with a sale/purchase, so it's a good idea to have them examined yourself.
The list above is just a sample of things you need to have under control before signing the purchase agreement. If you want to be completely certain that all potential problems are taken care of, so you can move into your new home without worries, you can benefit from using our independent buyer's advisory service.
Read more about how a buyer's agent can advise you in the best possible way before you make a final home purchase.
Also read: How do you buy a house? Financial advice for buying a house Growing family and a bigger home Buying a home without a down payment, is it possible?
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