Inspecting property before exchange

japmis

I should be exchanging on my first property tomorrow!! :j


The house has had a tenant in it, she is vacating today. I have booked a slot with the EA to go and check/inspect the property tomorrow to make sure she hasn't taken the kitchen sink with her...... what else should I be looking for???

Dan-Dan

japmis wrote: »

I should be exchanging on my first property tomorrow!! :j


The house has had a tenant in it, she is vacating today. I have booked a slot with the EA to go and check/inspect the property tomorrow to make sure she hasn't taken the kitchen sink with her...... what else should I be looking for???

The tenant , hiding in the airing cupboard

dj.boz

That the house is vacant and as you expected it to be. That they havent taken the fixtures and fittings that they have said they would leave.

tanith

When we moved into our house the previous family had left a whole section of built in wardrobe with the clothes still in it, so check inside cupboards if you have time... a lady came back and collected all her 'good' clothes a couple of days later.. they also left ladders and a snooker table in the garage.. never took those so we sold them eventually.

RockPaperScissors

Just that they have left what they said they would - that no damage has been done to the house etc.

for us it was more important because the house had been vacant for two weeks. In that situation we needed to check that windows hadn't been smashed, water pipes hadn't burst in the cold weather etc. It's just a final check over because (as you will know) the day you exchange your buildings insurance will take over from theirs. So everything needs to be as you expect

tbs624

japmis wrote: »

I should be exchanging on my first property tomorrow!! :j


The house has had a tenant in it, she is vacating today. I have booked a slot with the EA to go and check/inspect the property tomorrow to make sure she hasn't taken the kitchen sink with her...... what else should I be looking for???

My bolding. ...or that *the LL/vendor* has not removed any fixtures and fittings that should be staying

RockPaperScissors wrote: »

Just that they have left what they said they would - that no damage has been done to the house etc. .... It's just a final check over because (as you will know) the day you exchange your buildings insurance will take over from theirs. So everything needs to be as you expect

my bolding

It is also about knowing that the tenancy *has* been formally ended and the T *has* moved out. If OP is buying on a residential mortgage the property must be clear of T before contract exchange between vendor and buyer.

Werdnal

I would do a thorough walk through and check every room. Look to see that everything is in order, what you expected them to leave is there and anything you didn't expect - rubbish, furniture etc, that is still present is going to be removed by the vendor at their expense.

Take torch and if possible ask to lift the loft hatch and make sure nothing has been left their either! Look in all cupboards and drawers to check for damage. Might seem like overkill, but if the tenants left in a hurry or under any disagreement with the LL, they may not have cleared it properly and you want to ensure the vendor clears anything that is left at his expense.

Check the garden, garage, shed etc if applicable too.

I am assuming that if you had a survey, this was done before tenant left, so any damage which has occured since would not have been evident then, so now is your time to give everything a visual inspection yourself, to make sure tenants have not broken or damaged anything in the meantime. Take your time, don't let the agent rush or bluff you!

In a worst case scenario that anything does need rectifying, ask for confirmation in writing that this will be done before completion.

bretts

Hi Japmis

Congrats enjoy your new house :beer:

Mine is close to exchange too, but turned out to be a probate which was not told at any time even when i asked where are the vendors, but waiting for the probate to come through, hope mine goes through soon too.