Before you cross the threshold, treat the estate agent’s answers as the first bricks in your property decision. Ask why the seller is moving, whether they’re in a chain, and what completion date they need. You’ll also want clarity on condition, ownership costs, planning matters, and local developments. These questions can expose risks, strengthen your negotiating position, and reveal whether the property truly fits—before a viewing makes it feel like home.
Key Takeaways
- Why is the seller moving, and are they in a chain or working towards a specific completion date?
- Is the seller the registered owner, acting under probate, representing a company, or using power of attorney?
- What are the council tax, utility, parking, broadband, service-charge, ground-rent, and estate-management costs?
- Are there known defects, disputes, flooding, subsidence, asbestos, invasive plants, or unauthorised alterations?
- Are there planned developments, transport works, flood risks, parking restrictions, or other local issues affecting the property?
What Should You Ask About the Seller?
Before taking instructions, establish the seller’s identity, ownership position and authority to sell. Ask whether they’re the registered proprietor, acting under probate, representing a company, or selling through power of attorney.
You should also ask why they’re moving, because seller motivations can affect timing, negotiation and the likelihood of accepting an offer.
Clarify whether they’ve already secured another property, face a chain, or need a particular completion date.
Ask what information the agent has received about disputes, boundary issues, alterations, planning matters or other potential defects.
Although the agent may not provide legal advice, disclosure obligations require accurate, material information, and you should expect relevant facts to be shared promptly.
Confirm how the seller wants offers handled, whether they’ll consider conditional bids, and who’s final authority to approve terms.
Which Property Costs Should You Check?
Check the property’s full cost profile, not just its asking price. Ask the agent for clear pricing details, including council tax, estimated utility bills, broadband costs, and any parking or storage charges.
If you’re buying a leasehold, request current service-charge and ground-rent figures, payment schedules, reserve-fund contributions, and details of planned major works. Confirm whether the seller has arrears and whether charges could rise after completion.
Ask about estate-management fees on new-builds or managed developments, including what they cover.
Your legal considerations should include stamp duty, conveyancing, survey, mortgage, broker, and removal costs; ask which figures are estimates and which are confirmed.
Check whether the property’s tenure, restrictions, or shared-ownership terms create additional expenses.
Get key costs in writing before arranging a viewing or making an offer.
What Is the Property’s Condition?
Once you understand the property’s full cost profile, ask the agent for an accurate account of its condition. Find out when the roof, boiler, electrics, plumbing, windows and damp-proofing were last inspected or replaced.
Ask whether the seller knows about defects, flooding, subsidence, asbestos, invasive plants or failed building work, and request supporting reports, guarantees and invoices.
Clarify what the seller will repair, if anything, before exchange. The agent must provide material information accurately, but you shouldn’t treat marketing statements as a survey.
Ask whether previous buyers withdrew after surveys revealed problems, while recognising confidentiality limits. You’ll need an independent survey to assess structural integrity and likely property maintenance costs.
Check whether alterations have building-control approval and planning consent, then reflect defects and remaining lifespan in your offer and budget.
What Should You Know About the Area?
A property’s value and liveability depend heavily on its surroundings, so ask the agent about planned developments, major road or rail works, flood risk, crime, parking pressures and local amenities.
Request specific sources, including the council’s planning portal, flood maps and recent crime data, rather than relying on reassurance.
Check whether proposed schemes could affect noise, views, traffic or resale value, and ask who’ll pay for nearby infrastructure.
Visit at different times to assess congestion, lighting, antisocial behaviour and neighborhood safety.
Verify distances to schools, shops, GP surgeries, stations and green spaces yourself.
Ask about conservation areas, environmental restrictions and any rights of way.
Remember that an agent mustn’t mislead you, but you should obtain independent searches and legal advice before committing to an offer or exchange.
Conclusion
Before booking a viewing, ask the agent the questions that protect your budget and bargaining position: Why’s the seller moving? Is there a chain? What are the service charges, ground rent, repairs, permissions, and local risks? Don’t let glossy photos and heroic descriptions replace facts—estate-agent optimism isn’t a legal warranty. Get answers in writing, verify them through your solicitor, and treat missing information as a warning sign, not an invitation to bid blindly.
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