FAQs About Surveying in Leighton Buzzard
At Compare My Move, we’ve researched everything you need to know about having a property survey in Leighton Buzzard. Our data shows that the building survey is the most popular survey type, which makes sense as there’s a lot of older properties in the town.
Risk of Japanese Knotweed is low, but there are a few occurrences of the weed. There’s a low to medium risk of subsidence in Leighton Buzzard too. All of this will be revealed in your property survey so it’s vital to have one.
What are the Most Popular Surveys in Leighton Buzzard?
Terraced properties are most popular in Leighton Buzzard, with 34% of our users purchasing one. They mainly needed a building survey as the terraced properties in Leighton Buzzard are older in style, with 18.37% needing a building survey compared to 16.33% who had a homebuyers survey.
Overall, our own data shows that a building survey is the most popular type for our Leighton Buzzard movers, with 57.15% needing one. 42.86% of home buyers needed a homebuyer survey for their purchase. If the property you’re buying is fairly modern and in good condition, then a homebuyers survey will be most suited.
Whatever type of property you’re buying, you will need a property survey. A survey will highlight any hidden damage or defects within the property, saving you money in the long run. Your surveyor will be experienced to spot these things that most of us would typically miss.
What Types of Historical Architecture Does Leighton Buzzard Have?
With the arrival of the railway in 1838, Leighton Buzzard saw a demand for housing. Today, you can find period properties all around Leighton Buzzard, with Victorian detached properties located in South Street and early 20th century bungalows in Lynwood Road, Brooklands Drive and Lime Grove.
There remains semi-detached and terraced properties from the interwar period as well as many modern semi-detached and townhouses in Theedway, Mannock Way and Lindler Court. If you’re buying an older property with signs of damage, you’ll need a building survey to offer a detailed examination of its condition and structure.
There are also plans to bring 4,500 more homes to Leighton Buzzard with the affordable housing scheme. Interestingly, the sale of new build properties isn't as popular as existing homes, so it’s clear people prefer a home with some character. Just 7 new build properties sold in February 2021 compared to 451 existing properties.
Leighton Buzzard is home to 123 listed buildings, with its high street seeing the majority of these, including the Bank Building on the Market Square. If you’re buying a listed building, you’ll require the expert advice of a property surveyor who specialises in listed building surveys. The area also has 61 conservation areas.
| Listed Buildings | 123 |
| Conservation Areas | 61 |
| New Build Sales* | 7 |
| Existing Property Sales* | 451 |
*Based on data for June 2021
Is Subsidence an Issue in Leighton Buzzard?
When you’re buying a house, it’s important to look for any signs of subsidence at your initial viewing. Rest assured, your property survey will highlight any risk of subsidence or subsidence damage, but it’s still important to be aware. Subsidence occurs mainly in older buildings which we know are popular in Leighton Buzzard. An obvious sign of subsidence is large cracks in walls.
There is a low to medium risk of subsidence in Leighton Buzzard as we can see from the UK Subsidence Map. Although the risk is low to medium, it does cover the majority of the town. In recent years, a former landfill site Shenley Hill Road tip suffered from subsidence due to its previous land use.
To avoid a surprise repair bill, it’s vital to get a property survey. Your surveyor will highlight subsidence or risk of subsidence and you can use this information to negotiate your original offer, or if the damage is really bad, even pull out of the property sale if you haven’t yet exchanged contracts with the seller.
Is Japanese Knotweed a Concern in Leighton Buzzard?
Japanese Knotweed is every homeowner's nightmare as it grows extremely fast and can make its way in through windows, damaging your property. It can also devalue a home over time.
When you’re buying a house, your property survey will highlight any presence of the weed, and the seriousness of it. The presence of Japanese Knotweed is low in Leighton Buzzard, there are just 3 occurrences of it within 4m in the area. However, there are 44 occurrences of it in nearby Luton and 13 in Bedford.
You shouldn’t attempt to remove Japanese Knotweed yourself as it will just grow back. A professional remover will have the necessary knowledge and equipment to safely remove the weed carefully. If you suspect your home could have Japanese Knotweed, hire a property surveyor to carry out a thorough inspection. It's usually found in the garden, patio and pipework of the property.
