Windows or roof?

[Cherrypies]

Considering putting my house up for sale next year.
I have double glazing which is very old and only has top horizontal opening windows, two of the bedroom windows are sticking, very hard to open or shut.
The roof does not leak, but the felting is now rotting and Im told needs replacing.
Which would you say is the best thing to replace in view of selling?
Will the searches show problem with the roof?
Thank you

I'd say neither. The cost of having them both replaced will far exceed the value of your house. We've just had both of ours done at a cost of about £8k, but our house isn't now worth £8k more.
Leave them both, and when the roof in particular gets mentioned on the survey, be prepared to reduce the price by a couple of thousand. Then the buyers will think they're getting a bargain!

Both roof (because if house age presumably) and windows (some of these hopper windows only opening can be fire risks in upstairs rooms as too small to escape through) will show up in the survey - although the surveyor may not notice the windows are jammed depending how thorough they are!

It depends on the buyer. If the house is sufficiently mortgageable as is then that’s fine for a good few potential buyers.

If you think someone who needs a small deposit but earns a good salary will buy your house then they won’t want to have to find £8k extra cash themselves just now to do the repairs as the mortgage company won’t lend them it until the works are done. So they may not be able to buy.

If it’s someone who has a large deposit then they will have sufficient funds from that to do the repairs and still have enough to get a half decent LTV ratio (I think that’s the phrase nowadays, loan to value) and can therefore afford the repairs in cash now then that’s fine.

As the previous poster said, you may not make any money from this. It’s the attractiveness of the house to buyers that’s the main priority here. If you choose not to the repairs and a solvent buyer comes along it will be fine. If not it may take longer to sell. I’m in Scotland so not fully familiar with the English system and gazumping etc

The windows will definitely get a negative mention at survey and the problems with them will be very obvious to potential buyers. The roof may get a negative mention, but most surveyors do a fairly cursory check and as long as no leaks, then wouldn’t be highlighted so much as the windows.

Depending on how your local market is, I’d consider replacing the windows, and leaving the roof for now. If the market is pretty strong, then a slightly lower price might be enough to sell.

Thank you everyone, I do see your point with the windows, have worried about fire risk as have young grandchildren here.
They are now top priority.
Will add to the look of the house too, so worth doing.
Thanks again.

Presumably doing either will improve your EPC.

I'd say do windows because it improves kerb appeal and implies that you have looked after the house.