What to look for in ex-rental house

TrickyDicky

We saw a house last night that we liked. It was quite obvious that it was ex-rental (we were also told this) because it was empty and stank of paint. The good thing about this is that it's empty with no chain.

Apart from the old/cheap kitchen that needs replacing (but it is currently functional) is there anything else we should look out foor? things seem to be in generally good condition otherwise.

It is advertised as a link detached (does this come up on houseprices as a terrace?), 3 bedroom on the market for £300k in surrey, built in the 70s (its a brick box). We were thinking, given the above, and the fact we're FTBers with solicitor and mortgage already in place (because a previous house fell through just at point of exchange) we could go in with an offer of £275k if its still ok on 2nd and maybe 3rd viewing. Any advice on this and what we should look for next time we see it?

daisygrabber

I am about to put an ex rental property on the market. It's empty and stinks of paint and could probably do with a new kitchen, LOL!
I'm interested to see what people reply.
This is my first rental property sale but there I can honestly say there is a lot less "covered up" in this house than there was in the previous two houses I sold that I lived in!
No furniture to be placed in strategic points
No pictures over dodgy bits of wall.
No coffee brewing or bread making smells (tho' I'm tempted to take the coffee maker over to offer viewers a drink while they view).
As it's been rented, the electrics are in a much better state than when the last owner lived there, we have a gas certificate to show that's all in working order, we've insulated it to the max. And yes, everywhere has been cleaned and painted since the last (lovely) tenants moved out.
Ex rental houses aren't any more dodgy than owner lived in houses are they???
Daisy x

mlz1413

If the place is empty then you are in a better position to see problems than if its lived in. Damp and mould are the only things that may have been covered up by painting, but a lick of paint is also a common thing to do before marketing a property.

I would check that the shower works, taps turn freely and loo flushes, that windows open and close and there are keys to all doors -but I would check that regardless of it being an ex-rental.

If you do buy it ensure you check house before signing/exchanging contractors - I bought an empty place once and when I got the keys the bathroom ceiling had come down due to a leak in the flat above! Had I asked to re-check the place at exchange which was some 3 months later I would have found this and its repair would not have been my responsiblity.