Questions to ask during a house viewing

Snowy_Owl

Hello all,

My fiance and I are now starting in earnest on the house hunting and have our first viewing coming up. It has been quite a while since either of us bought a place or viewed with the intention to buy. The questions I would want to ask may well be different to his! So basically

What questions do you lot think we should be asking / have you lot asked when viewing a house?

Really just looking for ideas.

Thanks,
Snowy

Gwhiz

Basically anything and everything that you feel is important.

elliebobs

One thing to specifically ask about is the number of plug sockets and where they are situated. It's a small detail that is often overlooked but one that becomes annoyingly significant once you've moved in!!!! I speak from experience.
Happy viewing

The_Economist

What are the neighbours like.
Has the house been re-wired in the last ten years.
Has the house suffered any subsidence.

geoffky

how much do you think it will be worth next year

giggity

I'm really nosey, if the owner happens to be there I ask why they're moving out!

poppysarah

Where the meters are, how old the wiring is, is the boiler serviced, is the loft boarded, what council tax band is it, how old is the extension/conservatory/kitchen,

Does the gas fire work (we've been told in the last couple "we never have them on and it's been disconnected" or "I never put it on because it uses too much gas")

What's the hole in the ceiling? Do you know that gutter leaks?

Snowy_Owl

Thanks guys!!!!

Snowy

Evee2000

HIP and PIQ will give a fair bit of consumer information with relation to running costs, servicing of boiler/gas fire, insurance claims, building works etc. Could ask to see theirs?

Richard_Webster

Try to talk to the sellers themselves, ratehr than the agents.

Why are they moving? Is there a clear reason like wife expecting, need bigger house, or a job move, or something vague that doesn't really make sense?

They may have some cloud cuckoo idea of a dream house that they won't find and you will be hanging around for ages waiting for them to proceed on a related purchase.

Are they prepared to move out to let you complete the purchase if they can't find what they want.? Ask the sellers themselves this, NOT the estate agents. The agents always say everyone is prepared to move out when the sellers have only, when pushed said they might perhaps, if it could be arranged, and it really came to it, etc... For the agent that means they are definitely moving out.

Best to get the sellers to seriously think through the implicaitons of moving out - wherte they would stay - who would want to rent them somehweree may be on ly for a month or so if they haven't got friends of family they can stay with....

AdrianW2

poppysarah wrote: »

Where the meters are, how old the wiring is, is the boiler serviced, is the loft boarded, what council tax band is it, how old is the extension/conservatory/kitchen,

If you do ask these questions remember that sometimes vendors lie. I asked only to find out that the wiring had been replaced, but as a DIY job and not to IEE standards (came up in the survey) and that the boiler hadn't been serviced (found buried in the legal correspondence the day before exchange).