Questions to ask previous occupants before you move!

timmyt

- do you use a cat flap cleaner and how big is his ladder?

g_attrill

evening_all wrote: »

Can we have all the spare keys for doors, windows etc....Some people forget!

Windows yes (although they are normally all the same), for doors I would replace all the locks on moving in anyway.

RX-78

The best local restaurant!

MissAqua

I know this is proberly a stupid question, bare with me I am a first time buyer. How do you get the answers to these questions? I have had my offer accepted on a house and am waiting for the paperwork etc to go through.

Would you email a list to the Estate Agent nearer the completion date?

Emmzi

I did a final viewing before exchange - always a good plan in case something exploded in the house! Said I wanted to measure up, also checked radiators etc were warm at the same time (so boiler not caput!)

I asked these questions then.

Gwhiz

Any loose women nearby?

tbs624

slbhill wrote: »

Why on earth would you care where the wallpaper came from? You can never match it anyway because the batch numbers will have moved on. Or am I missing something?

Other questions:
Who are the gas & electricity suppliers and what are their phone numbers? (To call with entry readings).

M Number Enquiry Line 0870 608 1524 for Gas supplier info, and for elec supplier info look up local elec distribution company and ask for Meter Point Admin Service

slbhill wrote: »

Roughly how much do you pay per month/year for gas / electricity.

Wouldn't you have pored over the EPC? Different people have different lifestyles and use different amounts of heating etc

slbhill wrote: »

Who owns &/or maintains the boundary fences?

Dealt with on the SPIF

slbhill wrote: »

Any issues with the neighbours, or any particular useful for anything? (We have an electrician a few doors up, always useful to know! Even things like the local babysitter, person with long ladders or whatever)

neighbour issues dealt with on SPIF. Yellow pages and Google......

slbhill wrote: »

Are you leaving the garden shed / furniture / carpets / curtains (yes this should all be in the contract but isn't always).

Dealt with in the SPIF

When we sell a property we give a sheet with some of this info on (ie stopcock location ) , but are house buyers all really so pathetic that they can't use their own initiative for some of it?

Arthritic_Toe

lovethymini wrote: »

Ask if they've buried any of their pets in the garden!

Or any of their relatives.

Vincenzo

As many posters above have said, most of the important points are covered on the SPIF.

Having said that, whilst neighbour disputes are included on the SPIF, many 'issues' will not need to be mentioned. For example, noisy dogs next door will only be mentioned if an official complaint has been made (or, in theory, if the vendor complained to the owner of the dog). If this or any other potential issue is important to you, ask directly, via your solicitor. The vendor must answer truthfully and you will have it on record. Be sure to be specific though as this kind of thing can be very subjective.

scooter_chick

Thing's I'll be leaving not already mentioned...

- business cards for my favourite local plumber etc. I know they can use the yellow pages, but a recommendation is nice. For the plumber too!
- Menus for the best local takewaways (especially good for that first evening...)
- List of local pubs (maybe pointing out which one is a gay pub!)
- 'Welcome to your new home' card & a bottle of bubbly (if they've been nice throughout the process)

I'll add more if I think of any.