Questions to ask before property completion?

wyx087

wyx087

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As completion day on the first house I’m buying draws closer, I just want to make sure I’ve not missed anything to ask the sellers before they disappear.


So far, I have gotten information on:

- Location of main switches for water, gas and electricity.

- The day household waste is collected?

- Any leftover paint/wallpaper? (yes)

- Bathroom and kitchen tiles leftovers and purchased from? (no, but got shop details)

- Documentations and warranties for electrical to be left.

- Any special cleaning solution required?

- Kitchen and bathroom fixtures where purchased from?


The house has been decorated, so I felt the addition questions covering decoration and fixtures are needed.


Any other information I would find useful to know as new owner of a decorated house?


I have asked my solicitor to prepare a list of things I will be required to do as owner of the property, such as not allowed to cut down the tree at the back of the garden. My solicitor will also tell me garden fence responsibilities soon.
 
Just a couple that occurs off the top of my head.

Are you taking your old telephone number with you?

Mail - you can it redirected from old address for a small fee.

Service history for boiler/central heating.
 
Tradesmen local to the area theyve used and recommend, if you are moving to a completely new region. Maybe
 
Nah you'll be fine.

If there's anything bad they will lie to you (since you've exchanged contracts it doesn't really matter what they say). If there's anything you really need that isn't bad news you can always ring them.
 
No old telephone.

Will have a bit of overlap between flat and house, so mail isn't an issue.

Good point! will ask for service history for boiler/central heating.

Will ask for local tradesman, thanks for the suggestion.

JonathanRyan said:
Nah you'll be fine.

If there's anything bad they will lie to you (since you've exchanged contracts it doesn't really matter what they say). If there's anything you really need that isn't bad news you can always ring them.
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How can I ring the previous owners? I presume they drop the keys off at estate agents and then that'll be the last I will ever hear of them. The estate agents is under no obligation to help me contact them after completion. I also don't know any of their contact details or where they are moving to.
 
Um, OK. I'd usually ask for a forwarding address. Except that time when they refused to give me one because they carried on using the house I'd bought for dodgy credit which made a lorry load of scafolders turn up to give somebody a kicking.......
 
If they're half decent people, when you move in you might find a note telling you where stuff is and politely asking you to forward on mail you receive to the address given. I even got a tin of biscuits as well I think. Plus post it notes all over telling me where switches for freezers and cookers were, where central heating pipes ran etc. Very helpful.
 
Location of gas, electricity and water meters

Utility suppliers and contact details

Agreed final meter readings for you to take over the utility accounts

Check that you have keys for every lock, and that they have none!. If in any doubt consider changing locks.

Do they have a cable or satellite dish? What arrangements for cancelling transferring those?

Is there a burglar alarm? Do you have the code and do you know how to change the code to a new one?
 
Also, make sure you have property insurance in place before you complete
 
mortimerhill said:
Also, make sure you have property insurance in place before you complete
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Exchange ;)

That is, if you have a mortgage. And probably anyway.

If (for example) the house were struck by a meteorite between exchange and completion then you have still agreed to buy it.
 
Already purchased insurance after exchange :) hopefully there won't be a meteorite strike. :ROFLMAO:

Thanks for the tip, I'll be asking for forwarding address.

There is a burglar alarm. I shall ask about those. Thanks!
 
I would change locks regardless of how many keys they gave you.
 
Drains. Where do they run? Where do they enter the main drain/sewer in the street? Do the drains of any neighbouring addresses pass through your property? Do any of the neighbours have a set of drain rods?

Hopefully you won't ever need this information. But if there's a blockage, you need to know what your options are for investigating what's causing it, and clearing it.

Water mains. Where do you connect to the mains in the street? Where in the street is the valve to turn off the water to your property? Does the valve work? What equipment is needed to turn it?

Again, hopefully you'll never need this. But if you need to turn the water off and you discover that your stopcock has jammed through lack of use, you need a backup.
 
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