Buying a house that is already empty, advice requested.

Phaid

Hi, the house I'm buying was part exchanged by the previous owners back to the original builder, I've had a good look around the house and all seems OK, it is only 3 years old as well.
I intend to have one more look around the day before exchange (Thanks David) just to check everythings working and that it hasn't acquired squatters or unwanted attention from the local yobs (unlikely, but possible:( ).
I'm unable to contact the previous owners so was wondering how do I go about arranging for meters to be read and getting broadband installed etc etc, the builders haven't been able to tell me much at all.
I'm currently living 200 miles from the property so its all a bit of a worry, has anyone else been in a similar position and know of any 'gotchas'?

All tips and advice greatly appreciated and thanks in advance,

Phaid

david29dpo

Its pointless looking round before completion, look before exchange. Dont worry about the meters, do it on completion when you get the keys

Phaid

david29dpo wrote: »

Its pointless looking round before completion, look before exchange. Dont worry about the meters, do it on completion when you get the keys

Sorry I meant exchange, I knew that bit, if the builders don't know who the providers were for the house does it mean I can choose whoever I like?
I wasn't sure if the house might have been tied in to a certain provider.

clutton_2

if you phone your local utility company they will give you the number where you can find out which supplier already supply the property. then simply ring them up with the meter readings the day you complete.

zekepes

The water may well have been turned off. I would recommend getting the plumbing checked if that is the case. Not a biggie really (at all) but we had a couple of pains in this area when we moved into a previously vacated house. One of the things was the cold water tap for the bath didn't work. It was just an air bubble that I eventually sorted by a visit into the loft and a hose pipe (a year later after using a jug to add cold to the bath from the sink in all that time - thankfully it was just me and DH in a house with a ensuite shower room..) but only when we were putting it on the market again! I think something else was the heating to do with the water being off as well but I really cannot remember now - I remember we had the emergency plumber out on moving in day anyway.