Your tips for viewing a flat

[Floopdifloo]

I’d love to hear your tips from anyone experienced in viewing flats. I have my reasons for looking at flats rather than houses, and am aware that I need to do due diligence regarding management company, service charges (and their account history), leasehold.

This is really if anyone has any specific things to look out for or ask during the viewing itself.

Is there a “noisiest” time that it would be good to view so I can gauge how good the soundproofing is?

What kind of things should I look out for rather than the obvious of how well the grounds and communal areas are kept?

I’d really appreciate any help so that I can make the best decision possible based on some very brief viewings!

check walls...solid or flimsy plasterboard...noise..visit at various times and speak to neighbours....i had a very cheap teaching housing association flat for years but the noise was awful as a new build and could everything from neighbours flats...solid flats built in the 50's and 70's....then seemed to go all flimsy. if over 3 floors then new fire regs now in place, could cost thousands so check that out.

The most important type to avoid, even viewing, are converted houses. You need a purpose built flat with concrete floors on every level to begin to find other residents in noise levels tolerable.

Check for cladding

Look in the hallway for management company signs- there should be fire safety notice, no smoking notice and contact details for managing agents. If those aren’t there, unless just a 2 flat house conversion , walk away.

It’s a purpose built flat from 2011 so not a converted house. Good tip on looking for signs from the management company.

Silly question but how will I know whether the floors are concrete? Would I be able to see that in the hallway?

I seem to recall with house viewings that the first visit you view with your heart, the second with your head. Ie. On the first visit, you get a sense of the place, whether you like the rooms, location, garden etc. However, on the second visit, you have to be more critical, and look out for any possible problems.

One tip is to visit the flat at different times of the day, so you can see what the area is like. Is there available parking? Also, join the local Facebook page to see what local issues there are.

can you possible pull up any carpets or lino etc...or just bang the floors with piece of wood...??...or jump a bit...if flex then its wood.

Things left in communal areas. All should be clear for fire safety reasons.

I'd make at least one visit early evening. People will be coming home from work, kids will be back from school etc, so you'll get a sense on how much noise from adjoining properties and what the parking situation is like.

Some good suggestions here. My tip would be to ask what major expenses are in the pipeline. The accounts may have 30k in them but if all the windows need doing that could take the lot, and more.

Interested OP as I am in the same position, I can't afford to buy freehold; you'd have to have a crystal ball to see some of these problems as estate agents seem to deliberately withhold information. I went to a listed 1800s converted workhouse the other day, looked beautiful but all the windows needed work so I suspected a "major expense" issue as @TheRavagesOfThyme suggests, and the agent told me there were no restrictions and I could rip the windows out and put UPVC in. When I told him that wasn't true he said "I wish you well in your search for a property" and that was that.

Anyway following with interest, good topic.

Some things I would look at.

The lease length as IIRC you can't extend within a couple of years if you move in and short lease lengths are difficult to sell.

The lease for things that aren't allowed. For example if you are not allowed wooden flooring that might suggest there is a noise issue.

The lease for pets, whether you want them or whether other peoples are likely to impact you through barking or for example using the communal areas as pet toilets.

Whether there are adequate allocated parking spaces and overflow parking areas.

The communal areas to see whether they are functioning and people are respecting them. Or dumping all their shit in them instead.

The ceilings for water leaks if you are not on the top floor. You can often see bubbling plaster or dried out water marks.

Obviously management fees and ground rent and whether there are onerous clauses.

The heating and whether it is gas or all electric. All electric can be expensive in a large draughty flat, but is not so bad in a small one with a good EPC rating.

If there is a management company search it on the internet for specific reports. If there is one set up by the residents you might be able to search for it on companies house.

I've now started my own thread which touches on this:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/5407449-drop-in-value-of-leasehold-flats-all-types-in-last-5-7-years-trend-to-continue?reply=147019608

The first response here has flagged up historical service charge increases; I'd throw in existing service charges but maybe % increases in previous years are more relevant - give more of a full picture? So that's something we should be looking at @Floopdifloo

You won’t want to hear this but there is not enough due diligence in the world when it comes to buying leasehold.

I bought a really nice flat 3 years ago.The property was sound, met all criteria regarding lease terms, ground rent, service charges, etc. I spent hundreds of pounds on a full survey of the whole development to flag up future maintenance issues, and general condition. The report came back clear, with no looming major issues. I did it all, including acquiring historical accounts, door knocking to hear (prospective) neighbours opinions and experiences of the managing agent. All good. I went ahead.

Within 1 month, a new managing agent took over. Totally incompetent to the point of unscrupulous. The new MA commissioned a survey (at the leaseholders’ expense) and announced, without warning that we, the 22 leaseholders, faced £550,000 of repairs over 4 years. FFS! Their motive was the 25% fee they would add to the total for “managing” the work.

A huge, stressful fight ensued, with me, the newbie, as the organiser and ringleader of a leaseholder rebellion. The MA backed off but is now refusing to do anything other than grass-cutting and window cleaning in future, citing reinterpretation of the 60 year old lease.

I cannot stress how terrible this was for me and the other leaseholders. It’s still not resolved and as a result the flats are currently unmortgageable, therefore unsellable because the MA’s refusal to do anything regarding maintenance & repairs to individual flats and communal roofs. A Tribunal is the only way to resolve this and that’s going to take a year or more.

If you can do anything to avoid leasehold, avoid it. Or, wait until the leasehold reform is implemented which may (or may not) improve the rights of leaseholders. Good luck.

@GasPanic you can extend straight away now. The law has changed.

Thank you everyone, there’s some really helpful information here and I welcome more if anyone has further points to add.

Lease is over 900 years so the length isn’t an issue. @BabyJaneHudsonII so sorry you’re going through this, that’s something that I hadn’t thought about so thank you for bringing it up and I hope your own issue gets resolved soon.