Second Viewing - what to check?

[ScaredSceptic]

We're arranging a second viewing on a house we're interested in making an offer on. The vendors are doing the viewings themselves and I felt a bit hesitant during the first viewing to have a really good poke about, as it felt awkward and intrusive.

However, we obviously want to have a more thorough look before we make a offer. I feel I'd want to open and look inside built in wardrobes/cupboards, kitchen units and appliances. I want to do this to check condition, and look for any signs of damp/mould.

I'd also like to turn taps and showers on and flush toilets to check water pressure and that everything works.

I'd like to open and close internal and external doors and windows to check that they open and close properly.

Does that sound normal/acceptable? Should I mention to the estate agent that we want to be able to do this when arranging the viewing?

Some of that abundance fair enough and some would be considered OTT but its always struck me as strange the biggest outlay we ever make is based on short visits.

As you are prepared to offer and are serious I'd tell the agent that but you want to see xxx,xxx,xx on second viewing. They can ask the vendor who might say no but will probably be encouraged to.

I don't think you need to do these things as there will be private stuff in the cupboards. But the vendor can open and ahow you them. But my DD was shown all the kitchen units and appliances by her vendor, and she was shown the boiler on and off, and water pressure. They didn't move things but as they had just lost a buyer and were expecting to move before Christmas a lot was packed up so most walls etc could be seen anyway.

That’s a lot of checks.

Honestly, if I wanted to do stuff like that, I would ask for a 2nd viewing with the EA (the owners not present), as it will be embarrassing doing all that with them present and possibly following you from room to room.

You’re entitled to check that stuff but it’s less personal if the EA is there rather than the owner. If the owners have to be there I would warn them in advance of the checks you intend to make as I’ve never had a viewer open my built in cupboards & wardrobes for example, to look inside. Though they may have done it when the EA was present.

I think it is reasonable to check that all included appliances work. I bought a house last year where the dishwasher was left behind. It didn't work. Probably because it had been wired in to the mains and the wire cut. Hard to remove because the kickboards had been glued in place.

Range oven didn't work because it had been decommissioned years ago and left as a very large ornament.

Visits done by estate agents who claimed ignorance - dishwasher had apparently never been used (bollocks) and vendors had cooked on range (how long ago?) Didn't mention it has since been decommissioned was knackered and would cost a fortune to remove.

I think you need to work out what is going to make a difference to whether you offer or how much you offer.

Is one tap not working or one door not closing actually going to make any difference to your decision? If so, you may be looking for a house for years and years while you quibble about trivial issues. It's not like there's a list of 10 identical houses, in that location, on the market now and you just need to find the one with all of its doors closing properly.

It sounds more like a new build would suit you better where you get to do a snagging list before you move in. Second hand homes don't come with guarantees that there are no sticky doors.

That list sounds perfectly reasonable to me , id expect that and more from a second viewing. I prefer to do viewings and on a second i would let them wander round on their own, so they probably would do those things anyway.

Thanks all. Must say I'm a bit surprised that the general view is that what I'm suggesting is a bit OTT. Seems crazy to me to be expected to commit to spending hundreds of thousands without having a really good look at what you're buying.

To answer some of the questions, no I'm not going to be put off by one tap not working or one door not closing. I want to check doors, because doors which don't close properly can be a potential sign of structural issues, and I want to check taps/showers, mostly to check they have good water pressure (not because I wouldn't necessarily buy the house if not, but so I'm forewarned about things that might need addressing straight away).

I'd like to look in built wardrobes/cupboards to get a good idea of the storage space available and to check for signs of damp (especially for those on external walls).

I would have thought if someone was motivated to sell their house and had nothing to hide, they wouldn't have an issue with this, but it's useful to know it perhaps isn't the norm!

I would be getting a survey though, so I guess some of the things I'm wanting to look out for, the surveyor will be checking anyway.

I mean, you asked if it’s normal and I don’t think it is.

You’re entitled to do it though. I just don’t think the sellers will be expecting it unless you forewarn them.

I did ask, and I appreciate the replies!

This would be only the second house I've ever bought (the first was a new build), so buying a "second hand" house is new to me. I was hoping to be reassured that it would be normal to check these things, but it seems perhaps not.

If I was spending a fraction of the price on a second hand car I'd insist on taking it for a test drive, I wouldn't just glance over it. It's hard to get your head round committing so much money to a house you've had a quick superficial look at.

Please check has I didn’t and it’s my biggest reget I’ve ever made .

Why would someone not want to look inside built-in cupboards ? You want to see how much room is in there as they come with the house. When you buy a car do you not open the boot on it ?

If we know we are going to buy a house then 2,3. Viewings I always spend ages looking round, even with any faults ,issues its nice to know they are there before you buy.

I think unless you are buying a new build or renovated house sold to a newly done high spec then essentially most of the cost of the house is for the location and plot size/ square footage of house.
If you are getting a survey then this will check for damp, subsidence and anything major structurally.
I had 8 offers in my house from one open day and these were all from people that had spent 15-20 mins on one viewing, I also offered after one 20 minute viewing , I think most people just get a general feel for the house, the location and if the house has generally been looked after and then arrange a survey to pick up any issues that would affect continuing the purchase.

Thanks, I do get what you're saying. I think the main reason I feel I want to check these things isn't really about cost, it's more about having a clear understanding of exactly what I'd be buying and knowing in advance what things I'd need or want to sort out fairly quickly.

I'm very much someone who needs to think things through and plan in advance, and is very cautious, in all areas of life.

We viewed a house we loved during the height of the post COVID boom - a ten minute viewing fighting for room with about 15 other viewers. Honestly we loved the house so much, but it was going to best and finals two days later, no second viewings. As much as I loved it, I couldn't bring myself to make an offer without being able to take time to have a proper look at it.

These are perfectly reasonable things to check. To those saying EA should be present - well, in Scotland owners show prospective buyers around.

I’m an agent and when buying for myself or family I test water pressure, open drawers and cupboards in kitchen, ask to see heating working or have a guarantee of it working in the contract, I open windows, doors, I look behind doors that are “always open” and I ask that no sprays or perfumes are used before the visit. I like to be able to smell the house!

it may not put me off buying but at least I know whether the house has been well maintained or not. A coat of paint doesn’t mean the house has been well looked after.

But again, none of those are going to deter someone to buy unless the area is flooded with similar property (0% chance). Even if heating is not optimal, it’s most likely only after few days of using that the new owner will realise the extend of if. Doors and windows, cabinet, ok but unless it’s falling apart, it’s not really going to change one’s decision to buy. A visit of 20 minutes with ideally another one, checking overall condition is all is needed to get a feel for the state of the house, a level 3 survey will pick up the real issues.

I had a tick list to check things like the condition of the sealant in both the bathrooms and the kitchen, where they stored their hoover etc bins outside and access, what you could see when standing at the kitchen window and when sitting in the lounge. If I am spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on buying a property I am going to inspect it. Surveys have often missed things from past experience. I think opening any built in cupboard or doors/windows is completely normal.

As I said I like to know what the house is like with fewer surprises if possible. I don’t trust any surveyor to check. All they say is heating not on. Could not access blah blah blah. I want to see and touch a house and if I don’t believe it’s been well maintained from normal day to day things, then yes, I’d probably pass and look look for something else. Having said that, my last purchase looked like this, and the walls fell down when we took the roof off 😂

I agree that you need to carry out those checks. Fitted wardrobes and cupboards can hide a multitude of faults, especially damp. Kitchen units may have doors and drawer fronts that initially look fine but are hanging by a wing and a prayer. Draws are often sagged inside and semi useless. Do check that appliances work and are up to date with service history. When selling I would not think these requests were unreasonable.

Ah thanks all, its good to hear that not everyone thinks it would be strange to check these things!

In theory you can ask for these things, but if you were my prospective buyer I would start to think you were going to be a difficult person to do business with if we were to proceed. Which may not matter in a slow market but i recently went to final offers with several buyers at once and definitely wouldn’t have favoured someone who might base their offer on how strong a loo flush was. Many of these things (including whether appliances have been serviced) are part of any conveyancing/contract negotiation and come up during the survey and can be used as points of negotiation.