Checking hot water works prior to buying

steveyme

Firstly, I'm new to buying houses! I've had a good look round a house I liked and made an offer. Now I'm wondering whether I should have checked if the hot water worked. It sounds funny, but I never thought when I looked round, I've never seen anyone do it on house viewings before. Actually maybe the heating would have been off anyway! What's the usual course of action people, is it just assumed everything is ok? Should I have checked? :-S Confused!

Also, if my offer gets accepted, what is my next step, is it to get in touch with my mortgage broker (he's already got me a good potential deal when I met him 2 weeks ago)? In fact a brief step by step if how things proceed would be so useful if anyone knows of links?! No one tells you these things >.>

stator

It would be wise to arrange an engineer to check the heating and water systems, plus a visual inspection of the electrics / fuse box etc.

If your offer is accepted you can go ahead with the mortgage application and commission a survey and appoint your conveyencer. You can do these in any order you want or all at the same time, depending on how cautious you want to be or how fast you want to do it. The estate agents will want to know your conveyencer so you should chose one, but they won't start work until you pay the deposit for the searches.

Hoploz

I had a buyer once who insisted on coming round to feel each radiator before they would exchange. Anythings possible.

rosie383

And as you will read many times on here, don't be led like a lamb by the EA. Tell them very firmly that you already have your own mortgage broker and will arrange your own surveyor and conveyancer. If you use the EA recommended ones they just get an extra bit of your money on top.

slopemaster

Most people don't seem to check, but it would be wise.
For me, first visit is just to look, see if I like house, get a feel for it.
If seriously interested, I go back, warn the agent I need longer than the normal 10 minutes, and do my own basic "survey".

I have a list, but off the top of my head
Check age of boiler/electric consumer unit
Check heating works
Look at roof, chimnet etc
Look for signs of damp (newly painted over?)
Any signs of structural problems? (Cracks, loft conversions...)
Check (at least some of) windows, taps, toilets etc.

This gives you some info on which to base an offer, and some idea of what you might want a survey to look at

steveyme

Ah so it gets checked in the survey. Never thought of that, somehow imagined it being all about the bricks and mortar, silly me! Thanks

slopemaster

steveyme wrote: »

Ah so it gets checked in the survey.

Not necessarily.
These days they exclude more and more stuff and say you need separate specialist surveys for damp, electrics, etc...
Also depends of course which type of survey you go for.
Basic valuation survey may be done from the car. Literally.

lessonlearned

Gas, leccy and water are not covered by the survey. If you want them checked then you need to get a plumber and an electrician to do this.

However, before you go to that expense ask for a second viewing, preferably with a chance to meet the vendor so you can ask the necessary questions. If you meet with the vendor you can ask about guarantees etc, when the boiler was fitted. EAs won't know the answers.

If this is not possible then you can at least look at the fuse box, flush the loos, run a couple of taps, open and close windows and external doors etc. Definitely try and check the loft area and cellar if there is one, open the kitchen cupboards, especially the one under the sink to sniff for damp, and look for evidence of rodents, ie droppings or chewed units.

If you are unsure then take a trusted person with you, ie parent or better still a friendly builder or someone with a bit of diy experience.

A second pair of eyes is always useful.

Good luck.

Dan-Dan

steveyme wrote: »

Actually maybe the heating would have been off anyway!

The hot water should still run if the heatings off (unless they switched the boiler off!)

derbyshirenick

As said, all you will get in your home buyers report is "Heating was off at time of survey" although this time of year that would make me ask questions a bit more than when I read that in the summer :j