Additional questions you ask when purchasing

[Lelivre]

I have only bought one house and it was some years ago.

We have taken inspiration from our own purchaser who asked if our property had been burgled or subject to antisocial behavior. We have raised these same questions ourselves.

Are there any other additional questions you like to ask via the solicitor as part of the conveyancing process?

And one more thing - this house we are buying was rented previously. Would you get all locks changed? Thanks in advance.

Re the locks, I've read on here that plenty of people get their locks changed when they move as a matter of course. Tales of randoms letting themselves in otherwise. That said I never have though.

Clarify all boundaries , who is legally responsible for any maintenance of them and who last paid for fencing, driveways, any access arrangements for neighbours for maintenance and vice versa

We also ask if there has been a death in the house. Of course this information is limited to 'what is known' to the seller, but am a bit wary of sleeping in bedrooms which may house departed souls.

Other important (history) points-

1. Burglary
2. Ex-council owned
3. Pets
4. Fire
5. What existed on the land before the current house was built & how long ago (in some weird cases it could be a graveyard or landfill or marshland...so it's important to know)

Good luck!

Always change locks when you move into a new house. You have no idea who still has keys (non-resident family members, neighbours, the cleaner etc etc).

Last time we moved house, I'd read somewhere that it was a good idea to ask why the people were moving out. So I duly did. And got a very bitter response from the man showing us round that they were getting divorced and his wife was forcing him to sell as he couldn't afford to buy her out, though he desperately wanted to stay. Didn't know what to say.

And this happened twice. Twice. DH was hard put not to laugh the second time - he said the stricken look on my face was priceless.

Ah I will be changing the locks!

Neighbpur disputes. My number one question.

Whether any work done has the necessary consents - eg building regs approval or electrical Part P certificate.

When the property was last rewired

What kind of insulation house has (eg is the loft insulated)

How old the boiler is.

School catchments if this is important (but also do your own research on this)

why are they moving? If you sense domestic trouble, you could put it 'is the reason that you are moving personal to you, or something to do with the house size/location etc'.

read the EPC which will tell you a few things, then ask about insulation, boiler age and service history, any wiring problems or updates.

not a bad idea to change the locks when you get there.

most houses over a certain age will have had someone die in them. I bought my current house from a widow, I would have thought it grossly insensitive to ask 'so did he die on the premises then?'

Subsidence - always ask outright about this.

What neighbours are like

I would also ask about carpet moth!