What are your absolute "must checks" when viewing a property?

[ohhifruit]

So far we've made sure to run our hands along walls to check for damp, having a good sniff (again damp), checking for cracks and taking a look at the roof as best we can.

We're really serious about one of the properties and we're going back for a second viewing this Sat with a view to putting in an offer on Monday but I'd love to know what your must checks are or even what you wish you'd checked once you moved in.
Please, please, please.

This is going to be an unhelpful post I am afraid. The majority of things that annoy us now are the ones that I couldn't check before moving in (like creative electrics that we spent money rectifying). But one thing is I would talk to next door neighbours on both sides and chat to people walking in the street what's it like.

I'd always have a good look at the electrics - the consumer unit and, if I can, I unscrew a ceiling rose to see if it is earthed - because rewiring is such a disruptive and horrible job. Get a look in the loft to see if there is any light coming through where it shouldn't be, if the floor is damp at all and if the timbers are wet. If you're thinking of extending, have a look where the manhole covers are.

Check doors and windows for wonky cracks (subsidence). Other than that, your solicitor will check for works done recently and will ask for evidence of competence (gas certificates etc). And get a full structural survey. Don't scrimp, it can cost you tens of thousands.

I wouldn't buy anything without a full structural survey obviously but mostly it will be about just. Though an old surveyor told me that in his times it was about thorough inspection of electrics etc.

I always turn on the taps/showers in bathrooms just to check the water runs strongly (lived in a flat with rubbish water pressure for a while and it was really complicated to sort out, so never did there.)

Almost all the things you mention would be covered in a full survey and if the house is over say 25 years old then I'd be asking for that done.

You shouldn't need to sniff for damp- get an expert to look at that.

I'd take a look at the boiler as an old one - more than 10-15- will need replacing and that's £2k min.

I'd also look at sockets as usually there are never enough in some older houses.

Apart from the building itself, no-nos for me would be noisy neighbours, gangs hanging around the streets, parking issues with shared drives or roads, other houses with lots of pets- ie noisy dogs.

You need to consider the whole area at different times of day and night, if it's on a rat run in the mornings etc- near to pubs, sorry if none of this applies!

The things we made our decision on:

Is there any problems with the structure of the building/damp etc?- We knew others that lived in the block so were fairly sure this was not the case

Is the area nice to live in? Again we knew people who lived in the block so we felt pretty well informed on this?

Does it feel dry and warm or cold and damp? It felt warm.

That was it really. Although reading this perhaps we should have checked water pressure and electric- those are really good suggestions.

Definitely water pressure. I would also check that interior doors shut properly - discovered after moving to our current house that a set of double doors (always open during viewings) was badly warped.

I second checking water pressure, flush the toilet after putting some paper in it.

Have someone talk loudly in another room/ upstairs to check interior insulation. We can hear our upstairs neighbours pee - not fun!

Overall the most important thing for me is the neighbourhood in general; local primary schools, parks and community spirt.

Parking I would never buy anywhere without off road parking. You must have seen the misery parking causes on Mumsnet?!

Look at fuseboard as has already been said. Look to see if the boiler is ancient or poorly maintained. Pay attention if the floors feel spongy. Run the taps to check water pressure-- low pressure can be a sign there are issues with the pipes. Look at condition of the windows seriously as they are really expensive to replace if they are rotten.

I would get a surveyor to check for the soundness of the building. That leaves you free to concentrate on the things a surveyor won't look at, eg neighbours (noise/mess etc), whether the house / garden gets any sun, traffic (bus routes, parking, ratruns), practicalities (how long to get to nearest shops etc).

Three things people rarely check - think they get a little coy and feel it's not appropriate?

• water pressure - showers and taps
• electrics - just check a plug works in each room
• heating - does it work throughout the house

Remember these are areas that EA's always specifically cover themselves over "we've not checked any heating, appliances etc...". You're a little stuffed if the house you move into which looked really nice but you didn't check anything turns out to have a trickle shower and some rooms radiators don't work.

That is great advice from RCheshire. I'd that if it's double glazed, look at each window carefully to see if there's any sign that they need replacing.

For me those sorts of checks are another visit after an offer is accepted. Obviously you/the vendor don't want to go through all of that to then find you're 50k apart!

I wouldn't buy a property unless I'd had a full structural survey.
Yes to checking neighbours & parking.
Also, check local transport and make sure it's not on a 'rat run'.
Maybe in today's climate look at the flood risk too.

Totally the opposite to getting a full survey - I'd get the cheapest home buyers report ever.

The full surveys we've had done on 3 different houses have missed the most ridiculous and expensive things - said that a wall in the utility was double skinned and insulated - was single skin brick. Said that a chimney was entirely supported and pinned back by iron work - not in any way and it fell down. And that the kitchen was a suspended wooden floor - it was 12 inches of solid concrete.

Me, I check as much as I can and than fix whatever is wrong. I check damp, look at the fuseboard, see if the sockets are old, check water pressure, window seals etc

If you see it's got storage heaters, walk away

Agree (for most scenarios) with LaurieFairyCake. I prefer a basic valuation survey (to satisfy the mortgagor) and then pay separately some combination of builder, structural engineer, plumber, electrician etc. You get more information and straight talking/advice vs a caveated list of everything that could happen (ever)

i work from home so good broadband speed is essential. i usually get looked at like i'm a nutter by most agents though. surely cant be that odd these days?

Critical for me too. And I always forget to ask. Although there's a link on the Rightmove listing now to get a rough idea.

Check phone reception . In the house we're renting I have no mobile phone reception in either the living room or kitchen which is v annoying

If you meet the vendors - ask them why they are moving. They may not tell you the truth but asking them face to face is often telling if there are problems.

Water pressure, where is the boiler/HW cylinder / electrics / stop cock?
Pointing/ flashing on chimneys.
If a floating floor - Any air bricks? If so are they clear/ not built up against/ obscured?
Noise - can you hear neighbours/ traffic / someone quietly in the next room/floor?
What if any work has been done on the house?
Cracks - Walls/ceilings/brickwork/ paving
Trees close to the house? - roots / condition/ TPO

What's included in the sale?
Parking - for you / guests - details of any permits
Fireplaces - are they used/ appliances serviced/ been swept?
Take the opportunity to have a good neb at neighbouring properties.
Signs of leaks around showers/Wcs/Sinks or on the ceiling below them.
Condition of gutters/ roof / brickwork.
Phone / Internet - round here BT is shit (squirrels keep gnawing the wires) but Virgin cable is fine also means that we have fab broadband.
Mobile phone reception - can you get it (try a few locations). We only found out after we moved in that there is no phone reception in our kitchen or conservatory.
Try and look at the detail of the quality of finishes and whether or not your furniture/stuff will actually fit.
I wouldn't say anything was a deal breaker but it will inform how much you want to pay or even just give you useful info.
Yes a survey may cover many of these things but it's good to notice as much as you can prior to forking out hundreds of pounds for a caveat riddled document.

We saw a truly gorgeous house that ticked almost every box but finding out it was on oil CH (not gas as told by EA) a soakaway (only obvious when asked) and a shared drive (in not great nick) was a deal breaker. Another one looked promising until I saw the cracks in the side wall and the vendors lied about replacing a whole 2 storey bay window (obvious as it hadn't been done well and after a bit of digging found out it had been done in last 18mths) - had subsidence problems (as well as a whole host of other problems covered up by a lot of money spent on interior design rather than actual maintenance)

Thank you all so much!
We will indeed get a full structural survey but I know some things slip through/they have a business eye rather than a homely woman sitting on the sofa type of eye.

Going to view tomorrow with a builder and also viewing another house half an hour afterward so I hope even if we hate the second place it will confirm our opinion on the 1st house one way or another.

Obviously the full survey, as well as wonkylegs excellent list.

Always worth checking with neighbours. We looked at a house and couldn't see why it hadn't sold before. The neighbours said there were no problems they were aware of, and furthermore, had the house been up for sale a couple of years earlier, they'd have bought it in a flash.

We bought it, and have never regretted it.