Buying Or Selling A House With A Septic Tank

You may have heard to never buy a house with a septic tank. This simply isn’t true! Septic tanks might be a little strange to people who have never used one before, but overall, they’re just another part of your house. Like a gas stove or a fireplace, not everyone has a septic tank– and not everyone knows how to work with one. Here are some tips to help you buy and sell homes that happen to include septic tanks.

What You Need To Know Before Buying A House With A Well And Septic System

Several new laws have been enacted since 2020 that affect how your septic system might work. It’s still perfectly legal to have and own a home with a septic tank, but there are many regulations regarding it. Your septic tank cannot drain into rivers or creeks, it cannot pollute any nearby areas, and only 2 cubic metres of water can be discharged into the ground. If you purchased a home before the beginning of 2020 with a septic tank that didn’t stand up to regulation, unfortunately, it’s up to you to fix it up.

Should I Get A Septic Inspection When Buying A House?

When buying a title to any home, you should always get a home inspection before you hand over any money. Bad things can be waiting in the wings of any home, after all, and you don’t want to be caught unaware. However, a septic inspection is doubly important. Always make sure to ask your seller if the home has a septic tank, and if it does, make sure that you get it inspected before you move in.

How To Inspect A Septic Tank

Septic tank inspections are typically done by a professional, and if they’re licensed properly, this might even be the same person who did your home inspection! Septic tanks should be inspected every three years, and your inspector will tell you if yours is up to code or not. How to inspect a septic tank is an easy enough process, but you don’t want to be caught off-guard by sudden pipe troubles. Make sure to review the home’s inspection history when you buy, as well, so you know what kind of issues have happened historically with your tank.

Selling A House With A Septic Tank

If you’re on the other side of the equation, though, and are looking to sell your home with a septic tank, you need to ensure it’s up to code too. Make sure to get an inspection so that you can assure buyers that they’re not going to have to spend any more money than they need to. A septic tank inspection isn’t too expensive and can be easily procured from any licensed company. Your home inspection, though . . . how long is a property inspection report valid for? Your property inspection reports are valid for three months, so if you’ve had one in that period, you’re ready to go ahead and sell.

Buying Title To A Home With A Septic Tank

Buying the title to a home with a septic tank should never be something to fear, and selling a home with a septic tank is as easy as selling any other home. Septic tank inspections are easy to get and not overly expensive compared to your home, and they’ll ensure that you’re ready to go on the market (or ready to go off). Don’t be afraid to buy and sell homes with septic tanks in the UK.