What questions should you ask when viewing a property?

When you’re looking for a new home, getting swept up in the excitement of possibly finding your next happy home can mean you don’t ask all the sensible questions that you wanted to. To save you the job of having to dampen your excitement, here are some questions you may want to ask.

• Why is the owner selling? How long did the last owner live here? Have they already found somewhere else to live? Gauge the situation and establish if there are any iffy circumstances straight off.
• What are the neighbours like?
• What’s this area like to live in?
• How much are the service charges and ground rent if there is any? What is the council tax band?
• How old are the drains and guttering? Have there been any problems with damp? Check the home thoroughly, including walls and behind furniture for possible leaks or cracks.
• Ask some basic questions about the workings around the home. How is the pressure in the shower? Do the windows lock? Are all of the sockets and taps working? Feel free to ask to test them – it’ll save you the hassle of another small thing to sort out when you move in.
• Is there a TV aerial and phone socket?
• When was the electric last rewired?
• What kind of boiler it is – a combi-boiler? How old is it? Does it have a guarantee?
• Have you got an outdoor space? If there’s a garage, find out if there is electric in there. It’s also worth asking if you legally own the driveway.

This may seem like a lot of questions, only some of which will be relevant to your situation, but some of these probes could help unearth essential information about the property. Good luck on your hunt for your new home!