Viewing a houseTop tips

Agents may not tell you everything

Viewing

• On an initial inspection try not to treat it as home but simply as a building that needed inspecting.
• Even in a fast-moving market, it’s a bad idea to buy unseen. The more often you view a house, the more likely you are to spot potential problems before you move in.
• View the property three or four times, at different times of day, to find out what it’s really like.
• Look at the structure of the building. For example, even if there are hairline crack in the walls, investigate further.
• Be wary of damp, check as thoroughly as you can, and keep your nose open as it can give off a musty smell even if you don’t see it.
• If you do spot faults, you shouldn’t be put off buying, but at least you should get a professional opinion, and use this to renegotiate the price.
• Spend 15 to 30 minutes looking around the property and then at least half an hour walking around the general area.
• Find out what it’s like at rush hour, when the pubs close, at weekends and on a weekday. Try to drive from the property to work or school during rush hour to check the commute.
• In England and Wales, ask to see the home information pack, or, if one has been done, the home condition report; in Scotland, from December 2008, ask for the home report.

Estate agents and owners

• The seller doesn’t have to tell you about problems, and they may try to hide them.
• Common cover-ups include painting over damp, putting furniture in front of cracks or rugs over floor problems.
  People may also be vague about who owns gardens and parking spaces.
• The Property Misdescriptions Act 1991 states that estate agents can’t be misleading, but don’t have to reveal problems either, so ask direct questions.
• If you think an estate agent has given you misleading details, contact your local trading standards office.

Surveyors

• People often think they’ve had a proper survey when they’ve simply had a mortgage valuation. They haven’t. This is for the benefit of the mortgage provider, not you. You should get a proper survey done. For more on surveyors, see FAQs.