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6 June 2024

Home viewing checklist: essential tips for UK buyers

It's easy to fall for a freshly painted lounge and miss what matters. Take this checklist to every viewing.

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Outside

Roof: missing or slipped tiles, sagging ridge line
Gutters and downpipes: leaks, staining or plants growing
Walls: cracks wider than a coin, crumbling pointing
Windows: condition of frames and seals
Parking, garden orientation and boundaries

Inside

Damp: musty smells, flaking paint, fresh paint on one patch
Water pressure: run the taps and the shower
Heating: boiler age and service history
Electrics: fuse box age, enough sockets
Storage, and whether your furniture will fit

The area

Visit at different times of day, including rush hour
Phone signal and broadband speed
Distance to schools, shops, transport and work
Flood risk (check the government's long-term flood risk service)

Questions for the agent

How long has it been on the market?
Why are the sellers moving, and are they in a chain?
What's included in the sale?
Tenure: freehold or leasehold, and if leasehold, the years left and service charges
Council tax band and average bills

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