Property Viewing Checklist: 40 Things to Check Before You Make an Offer

Most buyers view a property for 20–30 minutes and make an offer based on first impressions. A structured checklist helps you look beyond the staging and identify potential problems before you commit.

Before the Viewing

• Check the EPC rating on Property Passport UK — know the energy efficiency before you arrive
• Check sold prices on the street (Property Passport UK / Land Registry) to understand market value
• Check flood risk online (Environment Agency or Property Passport UK)
• Search the address for planning applications (the local council’s planning portal)
• Note the postcode’s crime statistics (police.uk)

Exterior, What to Check

• **Roof:** Look for missing, cracked, or slipping tiles from the pavement. Sagging ridgelines suggest structural issues.
• **Guttering and downpipes:** Blocked or leaking gutters cause damp. Look for green staining on walls below gutters.
• **Pointing (mortar between bricks):** Eroded or missing pointing allows water penetration.
• **Extension quality:** Look at how any extension joins the main structure. Poor workmanship is visible.
• **DPC (damp proof course):** Check that the damp proof course (a black line near ground level on brick walls) has not been bridged by soil or paving.
• **Flat roofs:** Bubbling, cracking, or ponding water on a flat roof means it needs replacement.

Interior, Structure

• **Cracks in walls:** Diagonal or stepped cracks in brickwork (visible through plaster) can indicate subsidence. Horizontal cracks can indicate structural movement.
• **Doors and windows:** Sticking doors or gaps between door frames and walls suggest structural movement.
• **Floor levels:** Use a marble or your phone’s spirit level app. Significantly uneven floors warrant investigation.
• **Loft space:** Ask to access the loft. Look for daylight through the roof tiles, evidence of water ingress (dark staining), adequate insulation, and the condition of the roof timbers.

Interior, Damp and Water

• **Smell:** Musty or earthy smells in ground floor rooms or cellars indicate damp.
• **Staining on walls:** Brown or yellowish staining near skirting boards suggests rising damp. Tide marks higher up the wall suggest penetrating damp.
• **Peeling wallpaper or paint bubbles:** Water behind the surface.
• **White salt deposits (efflorescence):** White powdery deposits on walls are a sign of moisture movement.
• **Under the sink and around baths/showers:** Check for damp, mould, or soft flooring indicating a slow leak.

Services and Systems

• **Boiler age and type:** Ask when the boiler was installed and serviced. Boilers over 15 years old are near end-of-life (£2,500–£4,000 to replace).
• **Radiators:** All radiators should heat evenly. Cold patches indicate sludge in the system.
• **Water pressure:** Run a tap fully; low pressure can indicate problems with the incoming supply.
• **Consumer unit (fuse board):** Older fuse boxes with rewirable fuses suggest old wiring. Modern consumer units with RCDs are safer.
• **Socket type:** Old round-pin plugs (very rare) indicate original pre-1960s wiring.

Practical Checks

• **Mobile signal:** Check your signal inside the property — it varies significantly.
• **Broadband availability:** Check the postcode on Ofcom’s checker for available speeds.
• **Parking:** Is there off-street parking? What are the restrictions on street parking?
• **Storage:** Is there enough? Loft, cellar, garage, and cupboard space.
• **Natural light:** Visit at different times of day if you are seriously interested. North-facing rooms get very little sun.
• **Noise:** Listen carefully. Traffic, neighbours, railway lines, nearby industrial units.

Legal and Practical Questions to Ask

• How long has the property been on the market? Why is it being sold?
• Has the sale fallen through previously? Why?
• Are there any disputes with neighbours?
• What is included in the sale (fixtures, fittings, white goods)?
• For leasehold: How many years remain on the lease? What is the service charge? Who is the freeholder?
• Have there been any planning disputes or enforcement notices?
• Is there a completion date in mind?

After the Viewing

• Take photos (ask permission first) of anything that concerned you
• Check Property Passport UK for the EPC, sold prices, and any data that informs your assessment
• If interested, arrange a second viewing at a different time of day
• If making an offer, factor the cost of any visible issues into your offer price or budget for a survey