Damp, poor maintenance and nasty smells are the three things that really turn-off potential homebuyers according to research from GoCompare.com.

The comparison site found that damp was the biggest area of concern for househunters. Most of those surveyed (71%) said that evidence of damp patches on walls or ceilings would put a stop to them buying a property, while 65% said they would avoid homes that had been poorly maintained.

Awful odours were also cited as deal breakers with 61% saying that bad smells from pets, damp or cigarette smoke would turn them off a property.

Other deal-breakers were no parking space (59%), no garden (57%), unfinished building work (55%) and poor natural light in the house (50%).

Matt Sanders, mortgages spokesperson for Gocompare.com said, “Many homebuyers want a home that’s ready to move into and are put off by properties requiring repairs or maintenance work. Damp is a particular area of concern – a musty smell, black mould, stained ceilings or crumbling plasterwork are all warning signs of problems which, depending on the cause, can be costly to remedy.

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“Interestingly, while many buyers are put off by poor maintenance and bad DIY, only a quarter would shy away from properties which have outdated kitchens or bathrooms – two of the most expensive rooms in a home to update.”