What to look for at a property viewing?
We found it helpful to have a list of things to look out for when going to a property viewing so thought I would share our checklist with you! We typically spent around 30 minutes at each viewing. I have put an asterisk next to the points where I have explained below why we looked for certain things.
Tip: If you are interested in a property, don’t forget to take photos! Every time I asked, the estate agents have said it was fine to take photos. I also found taking videos useful too. Just remember to capture the whole property. There were a few times that when I looked back at a video, I realised that I had missed out part of a room!
After a while, it’s hard to remember all the different properties that you have seen so it’s helpful to have some photos and videos as a reference before the second viewing to see if there’s anything you would like to take another look at.
All rooms
- Do all the windows and doors work? What type of glazing does the window have?*
- What is the condition of the window frames?*
- What is the view like from the window?*
- How many locks are there on the front door?*
- Are there any cracks on the walls?*
- Are there any leaks or evidence of water damage in the past?*
- Is there mould or signs of damp?*
- Do all the lights work?
- Does the ventilation system work?
- Have there been any structural alterations?*
- What is the condition of the flooring/carpet, fixtures and fittings?
- What fixtures and fittings are included?
- Is there enough storage?
- Has there been any repair work in the property?*
- Are you happy with the brightness of the room?*
- Has there been a fresh coat of paint?*
- Are there enough power sockets?
- Is there enough space to move the furniture into the property?
- What is the mobile phone signal like in the flat?*
Bedroom
- How noisy is it? Would you be able sleep at night?*
- What is the condition of the wardrobe (if built in)?
- Is there a window in the bedroom?*
Bathroom
- Do the taps and flush work?
- What is the water pressure like?
- Is there hot water?
- What is the condition of the shower, bathtub, sink, toilet, tiles and flooring?
Kitchen
- What is the condition of the kitchen?
- Are the appliances in good condition?
- Do the taps work? Is there hot water?
Outside of the flat
- What is the general condition of the building?
- What is the security like?
- Is there CCTV in the building?
- Is the stairwell of the building well maintained?*
- Does the lift work?
- In the communal areas (e.g. corridor, building entrance), are there pest control equipment/mice droppings?*
- Is there a communal garden area?
- Is there a parking space for cars or bikes? Where is it located? Is it in good condition?
Other
- What is the condition of the boiler like?
- What type of boiler is it and are the radiators in good condition?
- Is there anything unusual that needs following up after the viewing? Don’t forget to take a picture.
More detail on why we looked for certain things below.
· What type of glazing does the window have?
Double glazed windows help retain more heat in the property which would mean lower energy bills. Previously, I have been in a rented flat with single glazed windows and in the winter, even though the heating was on high, the living room was still so cold!
· What is the condition of the window and window frames?
We checked there were no cracks in the window and looked to see if there is condensation on the inside of the windows as it could lead to damp and mould. Condensation is often caused by poor heating and ventilation. For more information, this is a helpful article from Ideal Home.
At one viewing of a vacant property, there was lots of condensation on the inside of all the windows which seemed unusual. From reading online, you would need to take a number of steps to minimise the impact of condensation (e.g. wiping the windows each morning) which we decided would be a lot of hassle.
· What is the view like from the window?
This was so we could see if there was sufficient privacy or how noisy it would be. For instance, it might overlook the main road or railway line.
· How many locks are there on the front door?
I once rented a flat and the door had four locks. It wasn’t until I had moved in and found out that this was because they had a burglary a few years previously.
· Are there any cracks in the walls?
If there are large cracks, it may be an indicator of structural issues. If you identify them at the viewing, you can ask for more details on it after the viewing and flag it to the surveyor later down in the process.
· Are there any leaks or evidence of water damage in the past?
If there are leaks, it could be costly to fix so we always looked carefully for this.
· Is there mould or signs of damp?
This could be troublesome and costly to remove so if you spot it, at least you can do further research on what the cost would be to fix the issue.
· Have there been any structural changes?
It’s helpful to see if there have been any structural changes as a follow up question would be to ensure permission had been obtained.
At one flat that we viewed, the kitchen was unusually small and after asking the estate agent, he confirmed that the kitchen had been moved to make the living room larger.
· Has there been any repair work in the property?
We always looked for this and the quality of the repair. On one viewing, we spotted what seemed to be a repair to the cupboard under the sink and it turns out there had been a leak a number of years ago.
· Are you happy with the brightness of the room?
We often went to view properties after work and in the winter time, this meant it was already dark outside so we couldn’t see the sunlight in the rooms. However, it was helpful to see what the area is like in the evenings. If we were very interested in the property, then we would go for a viewing during the day to see what it was like with sunlight.
· Has there been a fresh coat of paint?
We read online that sometimes the seller might paint over issues (e.g. mould) so we were wary when there had been a fresh coat of paint. Also, one time we saw that, there was a newly painted patch on the bathroom wall as it was slightly different colour but the explanation wasn’t clear which made us a little nervous.
· What is the mobile phone signal like in the flat?
I’ve previously lived in a flat where the mobile signal was poor and so on our viewings we always checked the signal! As we don’t use a landline, being able to make calls with our phones is important.
· How noisy is it in the bedroom?
I’m quite a light sleeper and so this was an important check for us. We’ve been to a viewing where you could hear the tube every few minutes! This was definitely a deal breaker for us. Another property was right next to a busy road and one was under a flight path and the noise of the plane was quite loud.
You can see Heathrow flight paths here!
If the property you like is under a flight path, it’s worth spending more time in the area to see how noisy it is and to find out more information online about the flight path!
· Is there a window in the bedroom?
We went to a viewing and on the property listing, it had said there was a bedroom and we saw it on the floorplan but when we arrived, it turns out there wasn’t a window in the bedroom!
· Is the stairwell of the building well maintained?
For us, this was an indicator of whether the management company was good because if the communal areas are well maintained, it gives us a little more comfort!
· In the communal areas (e.g. corridor, building entrance), are there pest control equipment/mice droppings?
Having lived in a flat where there were mice (albeit we only saw it once!), this was something we always checked from the moment we arrived outside the property.
Other useful links:
Thanks for reading!
Jess
Comments
Post a Comment