Your complete home-viewing checklist

And remember: take your time to inspect the property and ask any questions, big or small. While you might have an initial gut feel for a new home, it’s important to gather information on the building as well as the location. Ideally, you’ll already have a set of priorities you can share with your estate agent, helping you to judge which of the following things matter the most to you and your family.

The interior

General:

• What’s the storage space like considering your current belongings and plans?
• Are there working fire alarms and burglar alarms?
• Are there locks and keys for all the windows and doors?
• If you intend to work from home, is there a suitable space or one you could adapt?
• Are the curtains, blinds, and rugs included in the sale?
• Can you see any signs of damp or mould?
• How’s the mobile phone coverage? The broadband speed?
• What council tax band is the property in?
• What’s the EPC (energy performance certificate) rating?

The living room and downstairs:

• Is there enough natural light in the main rooms?
• If there’s a fireplace, is it functioning and in good condition?
• Could your furniture fit into the rooms?
• How are the carpets looking?
• Are there enough electrical sockets in the right places?

The bedrooms:

• Could your beds and other furniture fit in the rooms?
• Is there a built-in wardrobe or space for a freestanding one?
• How about a chest of drawers?
• Can you decide who would get each bedroom?

The bathrooms:

• How’s the water pressure?
• Does the extractor fan work?
• Does the toilet flush as it should?
• Is there a shaver socket?
• What do you think of the shower or the bath?
• Are the grouting and sealant in decent condition?
• Does the hot water come through quickly enough?

The exterior

• Are the window frames well-maintained? Are the windows double-glazed?
• If the wall is rendered, how does it look? How about the brickwork? Are there any cracks?
• As for the roof, can you see any loose or damaged tiles?
• Are the drains and gutters leaking?
• If there’s a chimney, is it straight?
• What’s the parking like? Is there a garage? Do you need a permit to park on the road?
• If you drive electric, is there a charger or room for one?

The garden and outdoor space

• Are you clear on the property’s boundaries?
• What’s the condition of any fences, gates, walls or railings?
• What direction does the garden face and at what time of day does it get the sun?
• Are there any trees close to the house that could cause problems or block out light?
• Is the garden overlooked? If so, how do you feel about this?
• Might the garden be hard to maintain?
• Are there signs of Japanese knotweed or uncontrolled bamboo?
• Is the garden safe for children and pets? For example, consider any ponds and swimming pools.

The location

• How are the noise levels during different times of the day? If in a tourist spot, is it likely to be noisier during the summer or other seasons?
• What’s the traffic like? Again, consider different times of year.
• What’s your impression of the neighbours?
• Is it in a conservation area?
• Are there any planned housing developments? Look on the local council website.
• What are the local amenities like? The road connections?
• Is there a risk of flooding? Has the property flooded before?
• What are the schools like? Have you researched the catchment areas?