Moving into a new home is fraught with challenges, but cleaning up the previous owner's mess is one of the worst. 

It's one thing to have to clean for yourself. It's not the most pleasant of chores you have in life, but at least you know the provenance of all the mess, dirt, grime and clutter. That's at least somewhat reassuring when you peer into a discarded bucket and wonder what it contains. 

When you move into a new home, you have no choice about what is waiting for you. Even if the house looked immaculate when you agreed to buy it and sign for the mortgage, many new owners find things have gone downhill since that point. They move into grease stains splattered on the kitchen tile, general DIY mess and... well it's best not to mention the mess that can await in the bathroom.

Hopefully it won’t be this severe! 

It's What Outside That Counts 

The interior problems are relatively easily dealt with. A deep clean - the kind you do in your own home - a few times a year can quickly bring it up to scratch.

Exterior problems are harder to deal with. You can find yourself confronted by all manner of problems, all of which either didn't exist or were neatly covered up when you viewed the property. Always expect the worst you can imagine, from the huge pile of weeds in the garden to the graffiti down the side of what you assumed was a pristine shed.

The One Good Point...

... about the problems being external is that you can tackle them when you're ready. If you get to moving day and find there's a concern on the inside, then you're going to want to clean it immediately - for the good of your health as much as anything. With external problems, it is possible to get settled in and then deal with them when you're ready for it.

As far as good points go, that's about it. Exterior-related problems can be so much more severe than a dirty sink. For a start, if there are problems lurking then you might not know how severe it is until it's too late. It's a worst-case scenario, but there might be asbestos in the pile of rubble you've found in the back garden. The issues you face are not always going to be as simple as grabbing a hoe for the weeks or graffiti removal products for the paint marks; you might have a serious problem. 

Call In The Professionals

If you suspect a problem may contain an issue such as the one above, then do something about it. If the ground of the patio looks uneven on closer inspection, call someone to check. It's better than using as is and then having an accident. The same goes for areas like the gutter and drains; you need to know they are in good working order before you can live in the house comfortably.

Remember

While moving into a new home may contain a few unpleasant surprises, you're still in a new space. In the worst case scenario of the entire house and gardens needing to be renovated, cheer up - at least you get to design it however you want now! 

This was probably a mess once, too.