Changing the house number from 13.

Ravs2019

Hi All, 

I have recently come across a property which is No. 13.  Soon after giving the offer, I realized it's considered unlucky and quite cheaper than usually market price. Now seller is not ready to negotiate. 

I have few queries as below : 
1. Is it difficult to sell a house of number 13 if at all we buy this house ? 
2. Can we change the number to some other number or name I think ? 
3. Is it a long process to change this ? 
4. Anyone who had already come across this and did it, can you share some inputs please? 

Ta. 

cymruchris

Never known a house to be cheap because of its door number. If it's cheaper than market price there are likely other issues to look for. It happens in Asia - but not the UK.

ciderboy2009

It's just a number - exactly the same as any other number.

My sister lived at a house numbered 13 for over 20 years without any "problems".  She sold the house quickly, for full market value.

The cheaper price is unlikely to be anything to do with the number.

Why change to another number or name?  All you're going to succeed in doing is to make it more difficult for delivery drivers etc to find you

Alderbank

There is probably not much more anyone can add beyond the seven pages in this thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6315661/has-anyone-ever-applied-to-change-their-house-number-from-13-to-12a-etc/p1

FlorayG

If you are superstitious like that I would suggest you don't buy it. Whatever 'number' you change it to, it will still BE number 13
Also, if the reason for the price reduction IS the house number, surely that's lucky for you, not unlucky?

Skiddaw1

I'm with @FlorayG

jimbog

If it was number 13 when you viewed initially it's unlikely that the seller will re-negotiate.
I would be more concerned about Number 9

kipsterno1

Hopefully its not located on the A666.

DullGreyGuy

Ravs2019 said:

Hi All, 

I have recently come across a property which is No. 13.  Soon after giving the offer, I realized it's considered unlucky and quite cheaper than usually market price. Now seller is not ready to negotiate. 

I have few queries as below : 
1. Is it difficult to sell a house of number 13 if at all we buy this house ? 
2. Can we change the number to some other number or name I think ? 
3. Is it a long process to change this ? 
4. Anyone who had already come across this and did it, can you share some inputs please? 

Ta. 

1. You are surely well placed to answer that question given you are considering buying it. It may put off a tiny percentage of superstitious people but plenty of "13" properties get sold every year

2. You need to speak to the relevant local council, generally no, many councils dont like numbers being changed and if you do add a name its in addition to the number and the number needs to remain on the property. Many councils quote things like the Public Health Act as if the police or an ambulance needs to find 13 Your Street it is vastly easier to look for that following normal setups than trying to find House Name, Your Street which gives no help in finding where on the road the property is... likewise making yours 11B could result in emergency services wasting time searching for "13" because the person reporting assumed the numbering given you are between 11 and 15 

3. As above, most fail. The councils I previously looked at said it can take up to a month to add a name to a property (and point out the number must remain visible)

4. n/a - randomly rather than intentionally all our properties have all been number 5 other than the house I grew up in which was 1

thegreenone

ciderboy2009 said:

It's just a number - exactly the same as any other number.

My sister lived at a house numbered 13 for over 20 years without any "problems".  She sold the house quickly, for full market value.

The cheaper price is unlikely to be anything to do with the number.

Why change to another number or name?  All you're going to succeed in doing is to make it more difficult for delivery drivers etc to find you

Same with my Mum.  25 very happy years at Flat 13 and I too sold very quickly for FMV after she passed away.

propertyrental

If number 13 worries you, have you checked how many people have died in the property, either recently or longer ago?

Have you checked the fung shui?