Smoke smell/home report - looking for help!

[ChilliPB]

Bit of a niche question!

We recently looked at a property which seemed like a great option on paper - when we got there the whole place smelt of cigarettes.

It needs a fair bit of work so would definitely be removing the carpets and redecorating in any case but from doing some research getting rid of smoke smells can be quite an undertaking and we’re just trying to weigh it all up and see if it’s doable.

My question is whether the smell (and work needed to get rid) is taken into account in the home report valuation? Because the property looks to be valued at a similar price to similar ones in the area that have sold recently - my sense is it should have a reduction because of the smoke smell.

Does anyone have experience of this? I think we have a bit of info on how we could get rid of the smell but it’s the value of the home/how the seller might take it that we’re unsure about. We could just offer under home report and explain why but would be useful to know if it’s something considered by the surveyor doing the home report.

thank you!

Smoke smell probably isn't. I'm not sure about the work needed. If you really want the house, price up how much it would be and take that off the home report price.
I'd offer that, plus 5-10% lower to account for full redecorating and cleaning etc to get rid of the smoke smell and discoloration, then you can go up to break even at most if you need to on negotiation.

The home report tells you what the surveyor judged the property to be valued at in its present state. They would have taken into account the smell and the decor. You can offer below valuation but in the majority of areas properties rarely go below home report.

These are my thoughts also.
Currently selling my house and would not be impressed by an under HR offer, unless in a few months time for example I really couldn’t sell.

Replacing all soft furnishings will rid a house of smoke smells.

Washing down walls, floors is enough unless the decor is not to your taste.

And then airing out the house.

In light of that, I don’t think a smell alters the value of a house in any significant way?

What is the huge undertaking your research has thrown up?

Thanks all. Some mixed responses about weather it’s considered in the HR.

It’s not mentioned in the HR so not clear whether it was factored into. It’s been on the market for a month in a desirable area in Edinburgh so I would guess other potential buyers are put off.

The undertaking would be that the smell is so strong and the property has been smoked in for years so it might not be enough to replace carpets etc - it can seep into floorboards, window frames and plaster, as well as things like fixed kitchen units. So those may need replacing to get rid of the smell completely. There’s different things you can do - depending on severity including replacing everything, washing everything, special sealant paint as an undercoat on all walls and ceilings to prevent smell coming through.

I do think smell can impact value - it’s absolutely so strong it made me feel sick looking around inside. This article says smoke smell can impact home value significantly: https://businessmondays.co.uk/how-smoking-inside-affects-a-propertys-value/

An advert for a odour removing company isn't really a reliable reference.

Ok, thanks for that.

I can’t believe people think the smell wouldn’t impact the price of a property!

Plenty of people who have been in similar positions saying it’s difficult to get rid of the smell. So why wouldn’t it impact the value?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/4935487-getting-rid-of-smell-of-cigarette-smoke

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/4901176-buying-a-house-with-a-cigarette-smoky-smell

https://www.homelight.com/blog/buyer-smoking-and-real-estate-values/

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4962725/buying-a-smokers-house

It sounds as though the work needed and/or smoke smell is impacting offers if it's been on for a month. If it came down to it, and it was a house needing some work or one that didn't, I'd be looking to offer on the one that didn't need work.

But the price will have already been impacted when the surveyor does the HR , they will have taken into account the smell, decor etc and set the HR value accordingly. It’s then up to you whether you take it on or not. Although to be fair that level of smell will probably put most people off anyway, so you may find the price goes down if it doesn’t sell. We didn’t buy one house where a son had smoked heavily in his bedroom, for any price .Then we did buy a major doer upper where the lady had smoked in the sitting room all day , the chandelier was sticky yellow ! But it was a beautiful house and needed a lot of renovation so was doable .

Smoke can seep into porous surfaces so the source of any smell will absolutely be in the carpets or other soft furnishings.

Highly unlikely to seep into walls, floorboards or kitchen units.

I think social media can be a bit hysterical about the smell of old cigarette smoke.

Let’s remember people were smoking everywhere (homes, restaurants, pubs, work places, offices) before the indoor ban in 2007. A property does not need to be gutted to de odour it.

Nicotine staining can be a problem but if you’re planning to redecorate anyway ..?

We moved into a property owned by a heavy smoker who’s body after death wasn’t discovered for a week in the bedroom.

Once all carpets and underlay removed , the property aired and walls/ ceilings painted it was fine. Zero smell.

It was of the same value as any similar properties that needed updating/ re decorating.

If you are seriously averse to smells or even the whiff of cigarette smoke makes you sick then maybe you’ll never be satisfied the smell had gone and you’d be driven mad by the idea of it?

Some general points. You can offer what you want for a house. The seller will either accept or decline.

The most important thing, is how much the property is worth to you? That is why purchasers regularly offer more than a HR valuation to secure it. Or indeed offer less.

Ignore previous poster who stated they would not be impressed if someone offered less. Who cares? It’s a business transaction not a declaration of love!

I have offered and secured two houses that were on for fixed price by offering less than the fixed price. Both houses had been on for a while and the vendors did not express any displeasure at having sold their property.

You mention that the property is in a desirable area of Edinburgh. This is relevant. I live in Edinburgh and Edinburgh house purchasers are notorious for over paying to live in right area/school catchment. Because of the house price inflation in Edinburgh, we all think our houses are worth more than they are!

This fact May make it less likely that an under HR valuation offer would be accepted.

However there is nothing to stop you making an offer under the HR value and stating it is because of the smoke smell and concerns about how difficult to remove it may be.

It may be accepted, declined or open up a negotiation.

Good luck with your house searching, can be a tricky business.

That’ll be me not being impressed with an under HR offer !
My house is on the market st the moment, in a good, desirable area, in good condition. I just meant that anyone offering me under the HR value wouldn’t be taken seriously. Fortunately that hasn’t happened

I don't think it would affect the valuation and fall into category of needing updated. Same as when previous owners have had dogs. Decorating from top to bottom, airing with open windows every day, small bowl of vinegar/water mix in each room.

When we sold aunts house - 30 a day for 10 years in said house, buyer replaced carpets and blinds (we had thoroughly cleaned and painted), no issue with lingering smells at all.

My house smelled of smoke when We bought and but it disappeared as soon as we decorated and we’ve still got some of the same carpet, I don’t think the previous owners were heavy smokers though as I hadn’t noticed it when we viewed.

OTOH my MIL and FIL were 60’a day smokers until about 15 years ago when they both packed it in. Their house stunk, everything was yellow and you could literally see the tar and nicotine on the walls. Within a few months the smell had gone - they did have new carpets and furniture and everywhere was decorated but the difference was remarkable.

When parents moved as soon as all their stuff was removed from the house and I mopped the floors removed curtains and gave everything a clean you couldn't smell the smoke anymore

First flat I bought (an Edinburgh tenement) had been lived in by a heavy smoker and stank/was stained. Removed the carpets, sanded the floors and decorated throughout and the smell went - I’m pretty sensitive to any smells and also find that the smell of stale smoke makes me feel a bit queasy.

Not sure exactly where you’re looking but we’re currently selling/buying in the South side of Edinburgh and the market isn’t what it was IME. You probably could offer under and see what you get back - I’ve been watching the market for a while and I’ve seen places go to fixed price below the home report value because they haven’t shifted (and often the owner has already had an offer accepted elsewhere so needs to sell).

Nice properties which have a realistic home report value seem to be going quickly but I’m noticing a lot of places hanging around for a while either because they need a lot of work done which doesn’t seem to have been priced in and/or home report values seem really high. We’ve been viewing similar places a street apart (in same catchment area) and they can vary by as much as £150k and it’s not obvious why.

I am also totally fed up with the whole process, I think it’s all a bit of a racket - home reports were meant to make things easier but still plenty of cases of estate agents getting surveyors to bump the value up to what the client expected rather than what they originally came up with.

Anyway…best of luck!

It would definitely make me reconsider! I wouldn't want to move into somewhere which stank of smoke, even if it could eventually be removed by replacing carpets (expensive) or lots of cleaning/scrubbing (hard work). I'm not up for all of that so I would be declining to make an offfer and looking for a place which didn't stink. If others think the same way, the pool of potential buyers shrinks and it's a harder sell. Lower the price and you may attract more people.

Depends on the area too, if properties are in very high demand and selling quickly it might not matter. If things are sticking around longer before getting an offer, it might.