Any ideas how to ensure the house valuation is on the low side?

[Iliveinahovel]

I need a valuation to be on the low side for the house I now live in. Not out-of-this-world low, but somewhere realistic, i.e. 10% to 15% lower than an "average" similar house would be valued at. Currently the house is probably "average" with respect to the overall appeal and condition.

Have around 6 months until the valuation will be done. Any ideas? Let the garden overgrow?

Dodgy!!!!

But valuers have 10% swing on their valuation either way, so just tell them why you need it and they will do their job.

Letting garden go or anything not substantial won’t have much effect as process will be 1) 1/2 radius if property sales prices of similar houses in last 6 months. 2) your property conditions. If gardens a mess that’s easily fixed and won’t effect it much.

Also citizens advice on the point of the valuation 7 years ago. Why shd he be benefitting from an increase in something he had not contributed to at all. even the £13k you mentioned then + increase in % that he wdve gained in the bank on that amount wd be better. I wdnt just give him this large sum of money tbh. hes laughing at you. If it takes a good solicitor to give him less then id rather pay the solicitor.

Ive had legal problems all my life due to other family members, pls contact me!

Paint kitchens bedrooms especially ceilings black, its a known put off with estate agents. Im sure your som wd like camo all over the walls and ceiling for a bit, you can do this with netting easily bought online, lots of it!!

If you own it tell the agent you want a quick sale they will value it lower

I really hope you get to stay in your home. Don't listen to the naysayers, they would do exactly the same in your position. Do whatever you can morally live with. You and your kids deserve to stay where you are.x

@Dishwashersaurous

Commit a horrendous crime in the house so it will forever be known ad the crime house and no wants to live there

Absolutely this. No one wants to buy my home now after what I did to the neighbour.

Paint door a baby shit colour, keep some damp clothes in a plastic bag, place under sink for that authentic stench. Paint some damp patches on ceiling upstairs. Have your neighbours scream obscenities and play heavy metal full blast

@mylifestory

Also citizens advice on the point of the valuation 7 years ago. Why shd he be benefitting from an increase in something he had not contributed to at all. even the £13k you mentioned then + increase in % that he wdve gained in the bank on that amount wd be better. I wdnt just give him this large sum of money tbh. hes laughing at you. If it takes a good solicitor to give him less then id rather pay the solicitor.

Ive had legal problems all my life due to other family members, pls contact me!

Because if the financial settlement awarded him a percentage of the equity, that is what he is entitled to. His percentage doesn't reduce just because time has gone by. If the OP is describing the financial order correctly, paying a solicitor will get her nowhere. She must abide by the terms of the order.

See if you can get a condemned sticker for the boiler and anything the surveyor asks you haven't got eg cavity wall insulation etc and casually tell them there is damp etc

I sometimes think that I must be really bad at explaining my position.

I know that the order is final, nowhere had I said that I want to overturn it now, that I received bad legal advice, that I want to avoid paying, take personal revenge for non-payment of maintenance, or intend to be dishonest in any way. I actually said the exact opposite, that I think I was represented fairly and it is my own fault and general cowardice that led to not acting on this earlier.

I just absolutely do not want to fall over myself to ensure that my ex's financial gain from this is maximised at my (and the children's) expense. I do not think that I have any duty of care now towards his financial interests - neither implicit, nor explicit, neither legal nor moral. If rewilding the garden, being more relaxed about cleaning and choosing some cheerful colours for the walls can be to my and the children's benefit, why not? It is nowhere near causing intentional damage.

STBExH planning the same with marital home OP.
I moved out 3 years ago and left the place immaculate.
Now the divorce is being finalised, I understand he's totally neglected my former home (of 25 years) and the place now looks like a total and utter pigsty.

I would bribe a neighbour hard cash and ask them to keep an old dishevelved wet sofa in the garden or down the side of the house etc.

Smash a window. It puts thousands off and doesn't cost so much to fix...

You were only married two years he should get bog all, and i would think the same if it was a woman. Did he give up his house to move in with you and why didn't he contribute

Are you sure you have this right?

So when the order was made you had £300k house, £60k equity and owed him about 20% of equity = £12k

Now, £600k house, £480 equity (??) and he will therefore get £96k?

Why on earth don't you remortgage the house? So you have less equity?

If you are right and it goes on the amount of equity you could technically remortgage to 90% so equity of £60k again? (I realise you may need help to do this but please see a mortgage broker as many things are possible.)

Are you SURE its not fixed on the proportions at the time, so £12k then is £24 k now due to house price increases, this would make much more sense.

I would go with the surveyor’s report. They are always bloody low. Find out the recent sales that are priced lower and tell the surveyor about them.

Are there any structural issues you can tell the surveyor about? Any planning permission you didn’t get? Any disputes with neighbours you can generate?

My advice would be to get an estate agent who doesn’t specialise in your type of house. My friend had hers valued for divorce and it is a fantastic house with a pool and annexe & she needed three valuations so she asked an estate agent who specialised in park homes, one who was a new agent who was just out of area and one who deals with big houses. The first two valued it significantly lower than the third (which was still low in my opinion) and when they took the average she was happy as that meant she could afford the mortgage on her own after the divorce. Hope that helps.

I think it might be worth a visit to a solicitor to see if there are any legal 'angles' that have not been explored.

I'd also contact a couple of estate agents NOT on the list and quietly get a 'starting' valuation' if you haven't done so already. At least it'll give you a jumping off point. Then you can ask those agents (since they won't be asked to do the actual valuations) how to 'reduce' the value.

Where I live in the US 'cosmetic' stuff doesn't knock much off so an overgrown yard, tacky carpets and paint, outdated furniture or a just dirty house wouldn't bring the price down much. Structural issues, poorly or non-working heat and AC, and REALLY outdated kitchens & baths in bad condition, ie badly chipped or cracked tiles & fixtures, cabinets hanging off hinges, poorly working equipment that will need expensive replacements do. And a bad location will 'kill' a house value, just as a 'good' location will raise it sky high.

Check if anyone nearby has japanese knotweed growing.

@MondayYogurt

Check if anyone nearby has japanese knotweed growing.

Yeah or just tell the surveyor you think you’ve seen it

What an absolute scumbag bloodsucker he must be. Sorry you’re in this position OP.

Off the top of my head, maybe just like you say, the opposite of what boosts a house’s perceived value, ie:
smells - get some old towels festering from now and maybe hide them around a few rooms so it stinks if damp.
Old prawns in the bathroom?! 🤣
Noise - any sympathetic neighbours either side who can make a racket (voices/music/vehicles)?
Bad lighting
Clutter
Zero kerb appeal
Litter
(Dog) poo on the pavement right outside?!
Insect ‘infestation’...?
Borrow 10 stinky cats and backcomb your hair
I’m here all week ;)

A house is only worth what people are prepared to pay for it so it is relatively easy: re arrange all rooms and decoration putting everything in the worst position, remove everything that makes the house feel warm. Feature every downside of the house, if you have a steamy kitchen or bathroom, let the mould grow free for a couple of months.

And also, don’t use estate agents for the valuation, demand a paid valuation professional who will value for bricks and walls rather than your lovely furniture.

@Iliveinahovel

I sometimes think that I must be really bad at explaining my position.

I know that the order is final, nowhere had I said that I want to overturn it now, that I received bad legal advice, that I want to avoid paying, take personal revenge for non-payment of maintenance, or intend to be dishonest in any way. I actually said the exact opposite, that I think I was represented fairly and it is my own fault and general cowardice that led to not acting on this earlier.

I just absolutely do not want to fall over myself to ensure that my ex's financial gain from this is maximised at my (and the children's) expense. I do not think that I have any duty of care now towards his financial interests - neither implicit, nor explicit, neither legal nor moral. If rewilding the garden, being more relaxed about cleaning and choosing some cheerful colours for the walls can be to my and the children's benefit, why not? It is nowhere near causing intentional damage.

You’re not bad at explaining anything OP. People are being pedantic and twisting your words purposefully. I have been in a similar situation recently; why must we work so hard, raise our children alone and be absolutely shafted by men, who contribute fuck all to their children up-bringing!!? It’s abhorrent. I’m sorry you’re in this position and I wish you the best of luck. Fingers crossed property prices crash again for a while before zooming back up 🤞

@tickingthebox73

Are you sure you have this right?

So when the order was made you had £300k house, £60k equity and owed him about 20% of equity = £12k

Now, £600k house, £480 equity (??) and he will therefore get £96k?

Why on earth don't you remortgage the house? So you have less equity?

If you are right and it goes on the amount of equity you could technically remortgage to 90% so equity of £60k again? (I realise you may need help to do this but please see a mortgage broker as many things are possible.)

Are you SURE its not fixed on the proportions at the time, so £12k then is £24 k now due to house price increases, this would make much more sense.

Yes, all correct, only ~£420k equity not £480k (I posted upthread with a correction). I did round-up / distort the actual numbers a bit as wasn't too comfortable quoting the actual amounts (thus the confusion), but the overall picture when it comes to proportions is accurate. My lived reality hasn't changed though, it is exactly the same pebble-dashed terrace I bought as my starter home, it did not become any more luxurious over time, and I seem to be even in a worse position now when it comes to the affordability. My income has increased since, unfortunately not in line with the real estate growth - but taking into account dependants the overall net, as calculated by the bank, is now worse. It is bizarre what happened to the property market, but it is another sad topic.

I cannot remortgage the house unilaterally as (a) he has a beneficial interest charge on the property (b) in any case only the original mortgage counts, no additional post-separation borrowing.

@MondayYogurt

Check if anyone nearby has japanese knotweed growing.

I actually did have it, that's how I was able to afford the house in the first place . Took around 5 years to get rid of it completely. Crap, should have just let it grow.