Estate agents report a downstairs bathroom can plunge a property’s value by as much as six per cent, which would amount to £13,580 off the average UK property, and in London this could knock up to £27,000 off a home’s value, compared to properties with an upstairs family bathroom.
The research reveals that Brits would much rather their bathroom was upstairs, with 44 per cent of UK adults saying that a downstairs bathroom would put them off buying a property. This could be the equivalent of 23 million people across the UK.
Furthermore, downstairs bathrooms have reportedly directly contributed to the loss of millions of property sales, with 7.4 million people deciding against buying a property in the past because the bathroom was located downstairs.
The lack of desirability of downstairs bathrooms and the apparent negative impact on property prices, may also be contributing to the increase in homeowners choosing to move them upstairs, with 45 per cent of estate agents reporting there are fewer properties with downstairs bathrooms listed now compared to five years ago.
A quarter (25 per cent) of estate agents are advising homeowners that if a property has a downstairs bathroom they should consider relocating this upstairs prior to listing. Although this would be dependent on the cost of moving a bathroom versus the potential value, it would add to a property at the point of sale. If homeowners are considering where to spend money to increase the value of their property estate agents suggest adding an extra bedroom will add more value than an extra bathroom.
Dan Simson, Head of Home Insurance at Direct Line, commented:
“Downstairs bathrooms are usually found in older properties accessed through the kitchen and despite them featuring in thousands of homes across the UK, they divide opinion. With some home buyers actively avoiding properties like this and others finding them much more convenient, especially if they are less mobile or have young children.
“Homeowners who are planning home renovations should let their insurer know about any changes being made to their house, as any work that involves walls being knocked down, floors being taken up, plumbing or electrical work, can result in damage to the property. Having builders and other trades coming and going with spare keys also increases the security risk.
“Once the building work has been completed, householders should inform their insurer of any changes that have been made to their property, as adding bedrooms or bathrooms can not only add value to their home, but also change their home insurance requirements.”
No matter where it is located homeowners should remember that the quality of their bathroom is vital when trying to sell a property and attract potential buyers. The overwhelming majority (91 per cent) of estate agents report bathroom quality is important to a sale; with a third (33 per cent) saying it is very important."
