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Buying a flat: what to check

A buyer's organisational checklist: the flat itself, the building and area, document questions and money. What to look at and what to ask a professional.

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Work out the full budget, not just the price
Taxes and fees, professional services, the move, minimum works, furniture. The total is usually well above the asking price.

The costs around a purchase are routinely underestimated, and they eat the budget people set aside for works.
Write down your non-negotiables before viewings
Floor, transport, schools, parking, aspect, noise. A written list protects you from emotion at a beautiful viewing.
Visit a second time at a different hour
In the evening and on a weekday. Parking, noise, light and neighbours look different from a Saturday afternoon.

A second viewing at a different time is the cheapest check there is: it costs an hour and changes decisions more often than any report.
Check the water: pressure, drainage, leak marks
Open every tap at once, flush, look under the sink, in bathroom corners and at the ceiling.
Inspect the consumer unit, sockets and switches
The state of the breakers, the number of sockets, signs of overheating. Old wiring is a future renovation, not a detail.
Check windows, reveals and ventilation
Draughts, condensation, mould in corners, extraction. Hold a sheet of paper to the vent — the draw is immediately visible.
Ask about heating and how it works in winter
Are all radiators present, can they be adjusted, how warm is it in a cold snap. Ask neighbours, not only the seller.
Listen to the flat in silence
Ask for a minute of quiet. Neighbours, the lift, the road and the pipes are what no renovation fixes.
Compare the layout with the documents
An unapproved alteration becomes your problem after the purchase: you will have to legalise or reverse it.
Inspect the entrance, lift, basement and roof
The state of the building says more than the flat's renovation. Top and ground floors deserve extra attention.
Talk to the neighbours
Five minutes on the landing gives you what no listing contains: the building, the management and the life of the block.
Walk the area in the evening
Transport, shops, parking, lighting, who gathers in the yard. A map shows distances, not atmosphere.
Find out about planned construction and major works
Construction outside the window and upcoming major works change both comfort and value. This is usually public information — ask where to look.
Put the document questions to a professional
Owner and basis of title, encumbrances, who is registered, debts, consents. The professional does the checks; the questions are yours.
Check for outstanding utility debts
Ask for statements and recent bills. You will also learn the real cost rather than \u201croughly average\u201d.
Never hand over money without a written document
A deposit, an advance and a prepayment differ in consequences. The document must state what happens if either side withdraws.
Agree the handover and meter readings
What furniture and appliances stay, in what condition, when the keys change hands and the meter readings at that moment.
Plan the move and the first costs after the deal
The move, new locks, minimum works, internet. People remember these once the budget is already spent.

You choose a flat with your eyes and check it with documents

Emotion at a viewing works against the buyer: a kitchen you love drowns out questions about paperwork, neighbours and pipes. So it helps to split the check into three parts and not mix them: the flat itself, the building and area, and the documents and the deal.

This list is organisational. The legal checks and the transaction belong to a professional, who should be involved before any money changes hands rather than after. Requirements and procedures differ by country — confirm the local ones.

What to look at in the flat

What	What to notice
Windows and walls	Traces of leaks, mould, condensation, draughts from frames
Plumbing	Pressure, drainage, marks under the sink and in bathroom corners
Electrics	The consumer unit, number of sockets, signs of overheating, switches
Heating	Are all radiators there, can they be adjusted, are they warm in winter
Noise	Neighbours, the lift, the road, whether windows face the street
Layout	Does it match the documents

Come a second time at a different hour and on a weekday: evening parking, morning noise and the sun’s position change everything.

The building and the area

The state of the entrance, lift, roof and basement says more about a building than the flat’s renovation does. Ask about major works, building debts and planned construction nearby. Walk the area in the evening and check transport, shops, schools and parking in real time rather than on a map.

Documents: the minimum

Who owns it and on what basis, whether there are charges or encumbrances, who is registered there, whether anyone has a right of residence, whether the layout matches the paperwork, whether utility debts exist. A professional checks all of this — but the list of questions should be yours.

Money and the deal

A deposit, an advance and a prepayment are different things with different consequences. Do not hand over money without a written document stating what it is for and what happens if either side withdraws. Choose a settlement method that is safe and standard in your country.

When you can decide

You have visited twice at different times, checked the systems, looked at the building and area, put the document questions to a professional, know the full cost including transaction fees, and understand what happens to your money if the deal falls through.

Frequently asked questions

What should I check before buying a flat?

Three groups: the flat itself (windows, plumbing, electrics, heating, noise), the building and area (entrance, lift, planned construction, transport) and the documents (owner, encumbrances, who is registered, whether the layout matches). The legal part belongs to a professional — before any money changes hands.

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