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    Buying a house – Don’t get caught out – What to look for when viewing the property.

    Author: admin
    July 11, 2008

    person viewing houseSome matters to bear in mind when you view the house you intend to buy;-

    Outside the property:-

    Brickwork:

    • Is the exterior brickwork worn or cracked?

    • Is the property rendered? Is there any cracking? How old is it? Bear in mind that rendering can be used to cover over faulty cracked brickwork.

    The roof:

    • Are any roof tiles missing?
    • Are the chimneys safe?
    • Is any flashing missing?
    • Is the guttering leaking? Are the drains leaking? Visit the property on a rainy day to check.
    • Are the fascias in good condition? These are the wood sections under the roof.

    The windows:

    • Are they double glazed? Ask the owner when they were installed and whether any guarantee is available. If they were installed after April 2002, a FENSA Certificate should also be available.
    • Do the window frames look secure, can you see any gaps?
    • Can you see condensation on the inside of the windows?

    Security:

    • Is there a burglar alarm? Ask the owner when it was last serviced, if they use it does it work?
    • Check the door locks, are they five lever?
    • Are window locks installed? Does the owner have the keys for them?

    Inside the house:

    Check inside each room for;

    • Condensation
    • Exposed wires
    • Cracks
    • Required redecoration
    • Required replacement flooring

    When buying a house, always;-

    • Check whether any electrical works have been undertaken since 1st January 2005. If so, they made need an electrical certificate. Does the owner have this?

    • Check the age of the electrical wiring. If its not been serviced for some time, and certainly if the wiring is over 25 years old, you really must have the system checked by a qualified electrician before you proceed to exchange of contracts.

    • Check the age of the central heating system and when it was last serviced. I had one client who when buying a house, refused to have the system checked before exchanging contracts, which was of course contrary to my advice. He moved into the property and a week later, the system packed up. He was left with a bill of 1500 pounds to replace it. If he had listened to advice and had it checked by a CORGI registered engineer, he might have been able to renegotiate the price of the house!

    The viewing information was taken from the Which? Viewing Checklist. View and download the full Checklist at www.which.co.uk/propertychecklist. I’ve added some extra questions and information above as you will see.


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