Viewing checklist — Greathome

26 things to check

Because it is a flat

Walk the communal areas: stairs, bin store, bike store, lift. They show how the building is run.
Which floor, and is there a lift? Consider it with shopping and a pushchair.
Where does sound come from — above, below, or the corridor? Stand still for a minute.
Where do the bins go, and how far is it?
Is there allocated parking, and is it on the title?
Ask what the service charge and ground rent are, and how long is left on the lease.

Before you go in

Walk the street in both directions. Note parking, bins, and what the neighbours’ frontages look like.
Look at the roofline, gutters and downpipes from across the road.
Note which way the main rooms face, and check it against the compass on your phone.
Listen. Traffic, trains, a flight path and a pub garden are all easier to hear than to read about.

Damp, water and heat

Smell each room as you enter. Damp announces itself before it shows.
Look behind furniture and inside built-in cupboards on external walls.
Check ceilings under bathrooms and around chimney breasts for staining.
Open a window in every room: are they double glazed, do they close properly, is there condensation between panes?
Find the boiler. Note make, age and where the service record is kept.
Check for extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom, and whether they vent outside.

Structure and services

Look along walls and ceilings at a shallow angle for cracks; note anything wider than a coin edge.
Check whether doors and windows close square.
Find the consumer unit — a modern one with RCDs, or an old fuse box?
Run the taps and flush a toilet. Check pressure and how quickly hot water arrives.
Count power sockets in the rooms you will actually work or cook in.

Questions for the agent, on the day

Why is the seller moving, and how long have they owned it?
How long has it been on the market, and has the price changed?
Are there other offers, and is the seller in a chain?
What is included — appliances, curtains, flooring?
Which works were done, when, and with what permissions?

Ticks are kept in this browser only — nothing is sent to us. A viewing is not a survey: anything structural you notice here is a reason to instruct one, not a substitute for it.