Homeowners planning to enhance their property with a loft or basement conversion have been urged to make sure they tell their insurance company.

With the housing market stalling, many people may be considering ways to add value to their existing home rather than moving to a new property.

And, while conversions can increase the sale price of a property considerably, failure to tell the insurer could be a costly error.

"Your house insurance is based on the value of your property, on the rebuild costs," said Alan Tovey, director of the Basement Information Centre.

"If you extend your house, whether it's a basement or anything, you're likely to find that your premium will increase."

Figures out this morning suggest house prices have stopped rising and are now beginning to fall.

With the market looking decidedly uncertain and the credit squeeze restricting the availability of attractive mortgage deals, many homeowners could be staying put next year.

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