House viewing checklist: what to check and ask

Save the listing, asking price, floor plan and address. Write down your must-haves separately from preferences: a property that photographs well can still fail a practical requirement such as step-free access or room for a desk.

Look up the EPC and recorded sales, then note the dates. An old certificate or historic sale describes an earlier point in time. If the listing claims an extension, new heating or refurbishment, ask what documents support it.

• Confirm which flat, entrance, garden and parking space are included.
• Compare the floor plan with the advertised room count.
• Save questions raised by planning, flood and local-area research.
• Arrange enough time to walk the surrounding streets.

Start at the entrance and work systematically so an attractive kitchen does not distract you from the rest of the building. Record what you observe and what remains unconfirmed. A stain, crack or unusual smell is a question to investigate, not a diagnosis.

Ask permission before taking photographs or testing fittings. Note where furniture makes inspection difficult and return to those areas on a second viewing.

• Look for staining, damaged finishes and signs of condensation around windows.
• Ask about heating age, servicing and recent repairs.
• Check storage, sockets, daylight and furniture space against your daily routine.
• Notice internal noise and sound from neighbouring homes.
• Ask whether alterations have supporting approvals and completion documents.

Look at accessible roofs, gutters, drainage, shared areas and boundaries from safe public or permitted positions. Do not climb or open equipment. Ask who maintains shared access, gardens and other communal spaces; pass the answers to your conveyancer for verification.

Walk the route you would actually use to transport, shops or school. Return at a different time if traffic, deliveries or evening activity could affect you. A quiet weekday viewing cannot answer every question about the location.

Use four columns in your notes: observation, question, evidence needed and person to ask. For example, “staining below the upstairs window” becomes “is there a known leak, when was it repaired, and can my surveyor inspect it?” Avoid estimating repair costs from appearance alone.

Score each home against your original requirements while the visit is fresh. Keep unresolved issues visible rather than treating a reassuring verbal answer as a completed check. A property research report organises public evidence; a survey and conveyancing process answer different questions.

This guide combines practical research suggestions with the official services below. It is general information; property-specific survey, valuation and legal questions need the appropriate professional.

• GOV.UK: buying a home

Read how SashMark handles sources, matching and missing evidence.