Property viewing checklist for investors

Before you arrive

Preparation before the viewing saves time and focuses your attention on the things that matter.

Before you go, review the Land Registry history (has the property been sold unusually often in a short period, which can indicate problems?), check the EPC rating (an F or G rated property will require significant investment to meet minimum rental standards), and look at Street View to assess the street and any obvious external issues like roof condition and guttering.

Take a printed checklist or use this guide on your phone. Bring a torch (useful for checking under stairs, loft hatches, and dark corners). A small screwdriver is useful for checking whether skirting boards and door frames are solid or soft (indicating wet or dry rot). Some investors bring a damp meter - they cost £15 on Amazon and are genuinely useful.

If the estate agent is present, ask them upfront what they know about the property's history: any known issues, reason for sale, whether there have been previous sales that fell through, and when the boiler was last serviced.

Exterior: what to check outside

Start outside before you go in. Walk around the entire property if you can.

Roof condition: Look for missing, cracked, or slipped tiles. Look at the ridge line - it should be straight. A sagging or uneven ridge indicates movement or structural problems. Check the chimneys (if any) for missing pointing and cracks. Flat roof sections are high risk - felt flat roofs have a lifespan of 10-15 years and replacing them costs £2,000-£5,000.

Gutters and downpipes: Are they intact and properly attached? Blocked or leaking gutters are a common cause of damp penetrating the walls. Look for staining on external walls beneath gutter joints, which indicates long-term overflow.

External walls: Look for significant cracking, especially diagonal cracks running from window or door corners - these can indicate subsidence or heave. Horizontal cracks can indicate differential movement. Fine, random hairline cracks in render are usually cosmetic. Wide cracks (more than 5mm) need investigation.

Damp-proof course (DPC): Check that the DPC (usually a visible horizontal band around 150mm from ground level) is not buried by garden or paving that has built up against the wall. Bridged DPC is a common cause of rising damp.

Windows and doors: Do they fit squarely? Doors and windows that stick badly or do not close properly can indicate movement in the structure.

Interior: the key checks

Work methodically through the property from top to bottom.

Loft: Access the loft if possible. Check for evidence of a leaking roof (water staining, wet insulation, mould). Check the insulation level - 270mm mineral wool is the current standard. Inadequate insulation costs you money in energy ratings and the property's EPC score. Check for structural timbers that look damaged, beetle-bored, or fungally attacked.

Ceilings: Look for water staining, especially around chimneys, in corners, and around any flat roof sections. Yellow or brown staining indicates past or ongoing water ingress.

Walls: Look for damp patches, particularly at low level (rising damp) and behind radiators or in cold corners (condensation). Check the skirting boards by pressing gently - softness indicates rot from damp.

Floors: Walk slowly across the floor. Significant bounce in a timber floor can mean the joists are damaged or the bearings are rotted. Concrete floors should be flat. A concrete floor in a Victorian terrace that has been recently poured may indicate the original timber floor was removed due to rot.

Cellar / under-floor space: If accessible, check for standing water, mould, and the condition of any exposed timbers. A cellar that has been tanked or converted is lower risk but check the tanking condition.

Heating and electrics

These are the highest-cost systems in a property and the most common sources of unexpected bills.

Boiler: Find the boiler and note its make, model, and any service labels. Most modern combi boilers have a lifespan of 10-15 years. A boiler that is 8+ years old may be technically functional but approaching end of life. Ask when it was last serviced - no recent service label is a warning sign. Check the pressure gauge (should be between 1 and 1.5 bar). Listen for unusual noises when the heating is running.

Radiators: Turn the heating on during the viewing if possible. Check that all radiators heat up fully, particularly the ones furthest from the boiler. Cold spots at the top of radiators indicate trapped air (easy fix). Cold spots at the bottom can indicate sludge buildup (more expensive to resolve).

Consumer unit (fuse box): Find the fuse box and check the age. A property with a very old fuse box (ceramic fuses or rewirable fuses rather than modern MCBs) needs rewiring, which costs £3,000-£8,000 depending on property size. Modern consumer units have RCDs and MCBs. An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is legally required for rental properties every 5 years - ask if there is a current one and what it found.

Sockets and switches: Check that sockets and switches are in good condition. Old round-pin sockets indicate an aged electrical installation. Sockets that are loose or scorched are safety hazards.

Questions to ask the agent or vendor

The viewing is your opportunity to extract information that does not appear in the listing. Ask clearly and listen carefully to how the answers come.

Essential questions: 1. Why is the property being sold? 2. How long has it been on the market and have there been any previous sales that fell through? If so, why? 3. When was the boiler last serviced? 4. Is there a current gas safety certificate and EICR? 5. What is the EPC rating and has any work been done to improve it? 6. Are there any known structural issues, past insurance claims, or neighbour disputes? 7. Is the property freehold or leasehold? If leasehold, what is the lease length and annual service charge? 8. Are there any planning applications nearby that the agent is aware of?

A good agent will answer most of these directly. Evasive or incomplete answers warrant follow-up. The vendor's solicitor and your solicitor will be expected to raise and answer these formally during conveyancing, but the sooner you surface potential issues, the less time and money you lose if a deal is not viable.

Red flags that should stop a deal

Some issues are deal-killers. Others are negotiating points. Knowing the difference matters.

Stop and investigate before proceeding: - Evidence of active subsidence (diagonal cracks, sticking doors and windows throughout) - Standing water under the floor or in the cellar - A short lease (below 80 years) on a leasehold property - Planning permission issues (extension built without permission, commercial use history) - Evidence of Japanese Knotweed in the garden (banks will not mortgage, and treatment is expensive) - A very short lease or high-escalating ground rent on a leasehold property

Negotiating points (not deal-killers): - Old boiler that will need replacing within 2 years - Cosmetic damp from recent blocked gutters (once resolved, usually clears) - Dated electrical consumer unit that needs upgrading - Old windows below current energy efficiency standards

For properties at auction, you need to complete your investigations before the auction, not after. Once the hammer falls, the sale is legally binding. If you discover a structural problem after bidding, you are still obligated to complete. Commission a pre-bid survey and instruct a solicitor to review the legal pack for any serious issues before you bid.

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