Property viewing: what questions would you ask when viewing this house?

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This house has great outdoor space with fantastic views www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-70912725.html However, the inside clearly needs work. What would you be looking for when viewing this evening property, and what questions would you ask?

Age of the windows?

Oh and burner certificates/chimney sweep records

Oil is easy. Check the tank though. Should be double minded. Oil boilers are a lot more expensive to replace than gas, so check how old it is.

What is the phone/Wi-Fi like.

Any local restrictions. Conservation areas etc.

Flood. Any sign. Including runoff or drains.

Then general house stuff.

Looks lovely.

Water. Main supply and drainage are a lot easier, I didn't see what the house has.

We've only ever had oil as no gas here. Honestly not a problem, I prefer it as all paid in advance.

ah, so much sweet never-left-London stuff on here...

oil central heating same as gas central heating except you have some control over what you pay; super cheap at the moment so everyone is tanking up whenever they can. You just keep an eye on what's in the tank using a simple gauge. Never let it run out and always get it serviced annually, I pay around £120 for that. Strikes? Maybe in 2000. lack of delivery due to bad weather? Just think ahead for winter and monitor prices. Theft does happen but won't be at the moment. Never lock the tank, just add the oil to the insurance.

ask about age of boiler; if it is over 10 years old it will guzzle fuel. You replace not for financial reasons but to be a bit greener.

those open fireplaces: chimneys lined? Swept? Shouldn't be used as open fires as grossly inefficient, budget for logburners.

if it has a septic tank system, same use as mains sewage (nothing down the toilet except body waste and bog roll). you can't have a waste disposal in the sink (eco nightmare and with a garden that big you have a compost heap) and you need to use washing liquid not washing powder, so buy v. cheap washing machines as they won't last as long.

inside is a bit dated but minus all the old fashioned ornaments and frills will be fine. The important bit is that they look to have redone the bathroom.

I don't know the area but is Alton Towers close enough to be a nuisance? And do you know how to use a lawn tractor?

I love this. No advice but what a lovely property.

I would ask about the wiring, have all the old lead pipes been removed, has the roof been replaced/maintained, any subsidence, is the loft insulated, is there cavity wall insulation, how old is the boiler, how old are the windows & is there any warranty left on them & the conservatory. It looks nice, probably needs the beams covering up if they aren't to your taste, kitchen either change the doors or paint them, redecorate & new carpets/ flooring. What kind of price are similar houses in the area selling for?

Find out if there is gas in the area. We moved into a house with an oil fired boiler, and were able to get rid of it and have gas installed. It took ages and SGN were useless but it was worth it to have a combi boiler fitted. Oh and we had the water tank removed as well as no longer necessary with combi. If you do go down this route, make sure the person removing it knows what they are doing...ie not to saw through the pipe as there will be compressed soot in it, which will plume if disturbed.

Find out about the neighbours, whatever you can. Especially if your back garden extends past their windows.

Bought a terraced, love the neighbours one side. on the other, the guy is a serious nutter/not good person. would not have bought if I had known.

Thanks, everyone. I now have a comprehensive list of questions to ask when I view the house tomorrow, and have done further reading around using oil as the fuel.

We've had oil heating for years and it's fine, and also pretty standard in rural locations. Oil is SO cheap at the moment. One thing to mention though is the oil tank in a shed. This is no longer allowed, and, although you won't have to move the current tank, you will once it needs replacing. These regulations about the positions of tanks changed some time ago, so the tank might be getting on. A new tank would have to be bunded and away from structures. If it is close to a structure it will have to have fireboarding around it. The current regs are all available online so you might want to have a read before you view.

I'd be asking about the conservatory, I'd want to know if it could withstand the weight of a proper roof and also I'd want to know about permission to open up the rest of the house and if that wall between the house could be reduced in size/replaced with bifolds.

I'd want a builder to advise on how to make the house lighter, it's very dark.

We bought a house just like this in the South East a couple of years ago....old inside and needed new boiler, new electrics, new stairs even!! But the land around it was amazing (not massive but larger than usual) and so much potential.

So far we have a new boiler in and the new stairs (although the rest of the work is in progress due to the pandemic). Needs new electrics and everything needs decorating but if you're up the challenge it's so worth it. We paid well under top budget so worked out well for us financially too....just a lot of dust!

I personally wouldn't go for oil fired heating as it is more expensive to maintain (then again I work for a heating company so I'd probably be OK!) but I know a lot of houses in the Moorlands have it.

It looks like an old persons house so needs some work doing, the conservatory looks old and might need replacing at some point. I personally think its a bit on the expensive side, I guess you are paying a premium for the location. It's very rural but you are close to a main road. Be aware you might get a lot of tourist traffic at certain times of the year if you have to commute.

ASBESTOS!

Check what is between this beams. are those cosmetic or exposed joists - don’t assume. If they are the joists the infill panels will likely be asbestos. Not an issue but budget for its removal.

Asbestos
Neighbour/ land disputes
Flooding
Pests
Wet rot/ dry rot
Rights of way.
When was the roof last done
Drains and mains. Is it on the main drains or is it a pump out sump.
Gas,electric supplies.
WiFi.

How did the viewing go OP?

Nothing to add but I love the property op! Would be perfect with a family kitchen across the back to replace the conservatory if you were able to afford it.

We have had oil fired central heating for years. Our last house the boiler was 30+ years old and absolutely fine. Cost about £80 a year service, oil deliveries never a problem. Just fit a padlock to your tank, easy.

OP the house is gorgeous, loads of potential and seemingly decent price (although I don't know the area). Enjoy your viewing!

Yep agree with the masses that oil central heating is fine. We have no mains gas in our village so it's oil or gas bottles which are a pain. Aside from remembering to order the oil, it's no hassle (and you'd have to order gas bottles too). Lots of villages have an oil buying collective, ordering en masse to reduce the price by having a bulk delivery to multiple houses on one day, or you can look at the Oil Club online too. I filled my tank a couple of weeks ago on the rock bottom prices which was the best feeling! Six months worth of oil for around £150, winner!

I love this house and the gardens!

I’m no good at thinking of what to ask when buying as my builder OH usually covers that! But what I did want to say was the oil heating isn’t something you need to be or off by at all. Until recently we’d always had gas, then we moved more rural where everyone has oil. I much prefer it as I can put my order in and pay for my heating in advance so I can monitor easier on how I’m spending it. Where as with the gas I never new quite how much I’d been putting the heating on until the bill turned up!

Also the cost of maintaining oil compared to gas has been a lot cheaper for us! We make sure we top up when it falls below a certain price also and it’s very cheap currently.

Here on MN, the crucial information you need is

Any disputes with neighbours.
Who’s responsible for the fence/boundary!

Never had an oil tank heating system,but I’d be inclined to get the biggest tank possible ( assuming there’s a range of sizes ) and get it topped up whenever the price of oil drops.

Also, convenants. Are there restrictions on what you can do with that garden or put in the garden. A garden office for example.

Look in the loft?
Ask them to put the CH on while you’re there.
Take those beams down!

What's the roof made of in the Garden Room? It looks like corrugated plastic?

How did the viewing go OP?