By David Joyson, Chief Customer Office at Homeprotect

Buying a house can be an incredibly exciting time, and it’s something that many are about to experience, with home sales expected to jump as first-time buyers attempt to avoid stamp duty fees.

As it stands, first-time buyers are not expected to pay stamp duty on homes under £425,000, however, this will revert to previous levels at the end of March 2025.

But do you know the things to look out for that might be a red flag when it comes to sorting out home insurance for your new home?

David Joyson, Chief Customer Officer at specialist home insurer Homeprotect, reveals the five things in your new property that could impact your home insurance or cause an issue down the line – and how to fix them to give you peace of mind.

Signs of subsidence

Subsidence issues tend to increase during and after long, hot summers, and it’s something to be particularly mindful of if you’re moving into a London property, where homes are built on clay soil. This type of soil is more likely to cause subsidence.

If you’ve had a Homebuyer Report completed before move-in day, any existing subsidence issues should have been flagged. However, not all homes have a history of subsidence, so it’s important to know the signs to look out for.

Hairline cracks on walls and around doors and windows can be warning signs. They’re usually wider than three millimetres and cut diagonally, widening over time and often reappearing after being filled.

Windows and doors that stick can also signify an issue, as a home’s structure may have shifted due to subsidence. Slopes and dips in the floor or small gaps where walls meet floors and ceilings can also indicate a problem.

This should all be reported to your home insurer as soon as they occur. You should also hire a qualified surveyor to diagnose the problem and share any reports with your insurance provider.

If you’ve bought a property that has had previous issues with subsidence, you will likely need specialist home insurance.

Bamboo and knotweed

Bamboo has become an increasingly popular choice in modern garden design due to its sustainability and aesthetic appeal, but it can be problematic.

Commonly used for fencing, bamboo is typically less durable than other fencing materials, which can leave it more susceptible to damage and wear and tear. It may also offer less security, which could increase the risk of an intruder gaining access – and if you had to make a theft claim, that may then affect your premium and terms.

It’s also essential to check if there are any bamboo plants in your garden, as they can grow rapidly and even have the potential to damage property foundations and underground pipework.

In the second half of 2023, there was a 55 percent annual increase in enquiries about getting rid of bamboo related to property transactions.

Meanwhile, Japanese knotweed is another highly invasive plant that quickly grows and can inflict extensive damage to your home and foundations.

This can lead to costly repairs as roots can impact drainage systems, structures and walls – this kind of structural damage would impact your premium and terms and an ongoing claim could prevent you from getting insurance. You can also be charged a higher premium or find that your policy may not cover knotweed-inflicted damage.

Similar to subsidence, knotweed-inflicted damage or issues should have been included in a homebuyer survey, but if this is missed, it’s crucial to alert your insurer.

If you discover knotweed in your garden after moving in, removal is really the only option to protect your property, and it should always be done by a professional. Bamboo should be kept under control through regular pruning.

Poor plumbing

When you first move into your property, it’s essential to check and thoroughly examine all the plumbing and pipework for any signs of damage or leaks.

Bad-quality plumbing can increase the risk of escape of water, especially in places like under the kitchen sink and bathrooms.

Any signs of plumbing problems should be reported to your insurer and repaired or changed as soon as possible to avoid further problems. It’s always best to instruct a professional plumber rather than trying to DIY it, as escape of water claims can be costly, and may not be accepted if is the insurer has reason to believe that the issue was caused by poor workmanship.

Garden office

Home offices have grown in popularity due to more in Brits working remotely, and many have converted a garden cabin into an office space, gym, or studio.

However, storing expensive equipment like computers, electronics, gym machines or bikes  will likely require you to double check your contents insurance – you will also need your buildings insurance to cover outbuildings. And if you use a garden cabin as a base for running a home business, then you may also need to consider home business insurance.

If you do choose to repurpose a garden office or space, make sure to check your policy wording for necessary security measures that may be required, like lock specifications and security cameras. Any damage to equipment or cases of theft may not be covered if you don’t have the right insurance or preventative security measures in place.

Buildings and Contents sum insured

A final one to watch out for is for the sum insured for both your buildings and contents. When you take out your new home insurance, it’s vital that your building sums insured is enough to cover the cost to fully rebuild the home in the event of a total loss – use the BCIS Rebuild calculator to help you estimate your property’s rebuild cost, which should mitigate the risk of being underinsured, and prevent you from unnecessarily paying to be overinsured.

It’s easy to underestimate your contents sum insured – how much your contents would be worth if you were needing to replace it – and it’s sensible to check that you haven’t just used an old figure if your contents has changed in your new home.

It’s also worth considering any new items you might be bringing into your new home (or fittings, like curtains or carpets) and making sure those are covered under your new home insurance policy, for example a new sofa, appliances, electronics, new furniture or any other valuables that might be classed as high risk (although also worth checking you’re not double insuring any items that are already covered by a separate policy).

Any insurance claim for contents will be calculated based on the sum you have insured, so this needs to be accurate to make sure you’re not out of pocket if you need to make a claim.