Loft, cellar and storage

The short answer

Buyers open cupboards and surveyors look into lofts, so storage spaces are inspected whether or not they are presented. A full loft also hides the roof structure, insulation depth and any water staining, which invites a cautious comment in the Home Report. Clearing them shows the space, allows a proper inspection, and starts the move you are about to make anyway.

What the work involves

Emptying the loft and any cellar or under-stair storage, checking insulation depth and condition, and disposing of or storing the contents off-site.

Rules and responsibilities in Scotland

Storage in a common stair or shared cellar is subject to the title deeds and, where escape routes are affected, to council enforcement.

What commonly goes wrong

Moving decluttered items into the loft, which both hides the roof and defeats the purpose of decluttering.

What it usually costs

Indicative ranges only, to help you judge a quote. They are not an estimate for your property — only the business doing the work can give you that.

• Loft clearance is a physical half-day for most homes and inexpensive if items can be donated or recycled.
• Topping up loft insulation while it is clear is cheap and improves the energy report.
• Off-site storage during marketing is usually a modest monthly cost.

What to do, in order

1. 1Empty the loft fully rather than partially.
2. 2Check insulation depth and condition while it is accessible.
3. 3Look for water staining on sarking and timbers and deal with any source.
4. 4Clear cellars, under-stair cupboards and outbuildings too.
5. 5Leave the hatch and access clear for the surveyor.

Local detail for the Lothians

• Top-floor Edinburgh tenement flats often have shared or awkward roof space access, and what is stored there can be a shared matter.
• Basement and lower-ground storage in city flats is prone to damp, and contents should be checked before the surveyor visits.
• Insulation top-ups are among the cheapest ways to improve the energy report in older Lothian stock.

When you need a professional

A clearance firm for volume; an insulation installer while the loft is empty; a roofer if staining is found.

Common questions

Does the surveyor look in the loft?

They inspect where access allows. A loft packed with belongings limits the inspection, which usually produces a cautious comment.

Where should the contents go?

Off-site — storage, donation or disposal. Moving them to another room simply relocates the problem.

Related pages

• Decluttering before selling

  Reducing what is in the property so rooms read at their true size.

• Preparing for the Home Report

  What the surveyor looks at, and the work worth doing before they visit.

• Roof and gutter check

  The external check that prevents the most expensive Home Report comment.