A UK estate agent has revealed the ten things that put buyers off buying a property - and how to correct them. 

Purplebricks, which is based online, has conducted a survey via market research agency WALR to discover what are the biggest turn-offs for homebuyers. 

The agent has put together a list of the top ten ‘icks’ and how to solve them. 

The most off-putting aspect of a home is mould or damp on the walls, with 70 per cent of potential buyers saying that it would affect their decision. 

Purplebricks recommends cleaning mouldy walls with soap and water or bleach, and repainting stained areas, while damp can be combated by ventilating your home. 

Having mouse and rat traps in your home could be off-putting for 65 per cent of visitors, as it highlights any rodent problems you may have and could make them seem worse than they are. 

Resolving any issues with rats and mice humanely before a viewing is a good idea, so that traps are not necessary during viewings. 

It may seem obvious, but smells such as the bin, the bathroom and strong pet smells would be an issue for more than half (56 per cent) of Brits. 

The best solution is to find the source of the smell and eradicate it - taking out bins, cleaning the bathroom and cleaning pets - and taking actions such as ventilating the home, using candles and air fresheners can also help. 

Another issue for more than 56 per cent of potential buyers is limescale or mould in the bathroom. 

Ways to tackle this include ventilation and using vinegar to scrub the limescale, and using an extractor fan will help to reduce the moisture building up in the bathroom. 

Full ashtrays or a smoking homeowner would affect a house viewing for 55 per cent of potential buyers, as the smell can be off-putting for many and a full ashtray could give the impression of an unclean home. 

Smoking inside your home could also damage a house in the long term by staining walls and ceilings, so check your house for stains and paint over them before any viewings. 

Another obvious issue would be a dirty toilet, which could put off 52 per cent of potential buyers. 

Make sure you clean the toilet before a house viewing, including tackling the limescale in your toilet. 

Half of potential homeowners (52 per cent) would be turned off by there being bugs or flies in the house. 

Check your home for anything that might be decaying and attracting bugs, and use scents such as lavender, citrus or pine to repel them. 

Another way to trap flies is a mix of soap and vinegar in a cup. 

The sight of peeling plaster would be off-putting to 51 per cent of house viewers and can make your home seem as though it is in worse condition than it is. 

Getting your walls replastered before listing your home for sale can ensure that viewers aren’t distracted from the otherwise appealing features of the property. 

You can’t always control what your pets do, but make sure to check your garden and outdoor spaces for dog mess before a house viewing - as it could affect the decision to buy for 44 per cent of homebuyers.

More than a third of Brits (39 per cent) say that dirty underwear or other laundry on the floor would put them off buying a home. 

Of course, there is an easy fix - just pop any laundry in a hamper! 

Vince Courtney, Chief Sales Officer at Purplebricks, commented: “There are many things that put buyers off a home at a viewing – so make sure your property doesn’t feature any of the things that could make selling it tougher.

“A lot of it comes down to simply cleaning your home correctly. But, if you have deeper damage within the home causing issues, get it checked out before opening your home to buyers so that it doesn’t pose any further problems for you or a future owner.”