Before you arrange a viewing, ask the estate agent the questions that reveal what the listing may not show. Confirm the asking price, time on the market, recent reductions, and the seller’s reason for moving. You’ll also want a clear picture of the property’s condition, running costs, legal matters, planning history, and what’s included. These answers can help you judge whether it deserves your time—and what to look for when you arrive.
Key Takeaways
- What is the asking price, and have there been any recent reductions or previous offers?
- How long has the property been on the market, and why are the sellers moving?
- What fixtures, appliances, parking spaces, and other items are included in the sale?
- Are there known structural defects, repair needs, or issues with the roof, damp, or services?
- What are the council tax, service charges, ground rent, and other ongoing property costs?
What Is the Property’s Asking Price?
Ask the estate agent for the property’s current asking price, then check whether it reflects recent sales of similar homes in the area.
Ask which features, such as parking, outdoor space, condition, or a desirable school catchment, support the figure. You’ll gain a clearer view by requesting market comparisons for nearby properties that have sold, not just those still advertised.
Ask whether the price follows local pricing strategies, such as attracting multiple offers below market value or leaving room for negotiation.
Find out whether the agent expects offers above, below, or close to the asking price, and ask what evidence supports that expectation.
Check whether council tax, service charges, or lease costs affect affordability.
These details help you judge value realistically before arranging a viewing, without relying solely on the listing’s headline figure.
How Long Has It Been on the Market?
The length of time a property has been on the market can reveal how accurately it’s priced and how much negotiating leverage you may have. Ask your estate agent for the original listing date, any periods when the property was withdrawn, and whether the seller has reduced the price.
A home that’s lingered for months may reflect overpricing, limited demand, presentation issues, or a less convenient location—not necessarily a serious defect. Compare its timeline with similar local sales, considering seasonal patterns and current buyer activity.
Ask whether previous offers fell through and why, without focusing on the seller’s personal circumstances. Review the property history, including earlier listings and price changes.
Check whether nearby construction, traffic, schools, transport links, or neighborhood amenities have influenced interest. This information helps you judge value and plan your offer.
Why Is the Seller Moving?
Understanding why the seller is moving can give you useful context, although it shouldn’t replace your own checks of the property and area. Ask the agent whether the move relates to work, family, finances, or a change in lifestyle.
The seller’s motivation may affect how flexible they’re on price, completion dates, or included fixtures, though the agent mightn’t disclose sensitive details.
Also ask about the moving timeline. Are they buying another home, relocating locally, or moving out of the area?
A seller with a tight deadline could favour a buyer who’s ready to proceed, while an onward purchase may introduce delays.
In a busy local market, this information helps you judge how competitive your offer needs to be.
Don’t assume urgency means a bargain; compare recent nearby sales and ask what timescale the seller prefers.
What Is the Property’s Condition?
Ask the estate agent about recent repairs, including who completed them and whether guarantees are available.
You’ll also want clear information on structural issues, from subsidence to roof problems, especially in older local properties.
Finally, ask what maintenance the home needs soon and what it may cost.
Recent Repairs
Recent repairs can reveal how well the property has been maintained and what costs may be coming your way. Ask the estate agent exactly what work was completed, when it happened, and who carried it out. Request invoices, guarantees, planning permissions, and building-control certificates where relevant.
Check whether repairs involved the roof, windows, heating system, plumbing, electrics, or damp treatment, without assuming the work solved every underlying issue. Ask why each repair was needed and whether similar problems have returned.
You should also find out if the work affects your home insurance, particularly where contractors used specialist materials or made alterations. In older local properties, confirm that replacement parts remain available and that repairs match conservation requirements.
A surveyor can verify the quality before you commit.
Structural Issues
A property’s structural condition can affect your safety, mortgage, insurance, and long-term costs, so ask the estate agent whether there are known issues with subsidence, movement, cracked walls, roof spread, damp, or unstable extensions.
Ask whether a structural engineer has inspected the building and whether reports, guarantees, or underpinning records are available.
Check how the agent defines any Foundation concerns, particularly in clay-soil areas or near mature trees, where local ground movement can occur.
Ask about roofing integrity, including sagging, failed supports, or alterations that may have weakened the structure.
You should also ask whether previous surveys identified defects and whether your lender might require specialist investigations.
Don’t rely on reassuring phrases such as “just settlement”; arrange your own independent survey before committing, especially for older, extended, or visibly altered homes.
Maintenance Requirements
Beyond major structural defects, the property’s day-to-day maintenance needs can have a significant effect on your budget and workload. Ask the estate agent how old the boiler, roof, windows, and heating system are, and whether they’ve needed recent repairs.
Find out which fixtures or appliances the seller plans to leave, then ask about their service history and likely replacement costs. Good appliance upkeep can prevent expensive surprises, while neglected systems may need attention soon after completion.
Check who handles garden maintenance and whether local conditions, such as coastal weather, clay soil, or heavy rainfall, increase the workload.
Ask about damp, blocked gutters, exterior paintwork, and shared-area responsibilities if the home sits in a managed development.
Request maintenance records where available, and arrange a professional inspection before making an offer.
What Are the Running Costs?
Ask the estate agent for a clear breakdown of the property’s ongoing costs, not just the purchase price.
Ask for recent Utility bills, including heating, electricity, water, and broadband, so you can compare seasonal usage realistically.
Confirm property taxes, their payment schedule, and whether any local charges apply.
If you’re viewing a flat, check the service charge, ground rent, building insurance contribution, lift maintenance, and planned communal works.
For a house, ask about waste collection, private drainage, septic-tank servicing, and shared access-road fees, especially in rural areas.
Find out whether the property uses oil, LPG, or electric heating, and ask when the boiler was last serviced.
Add these figures to your mortgage estimate, then allow a sensible buffer for winter bills and price rises.
Are There Any Legal or Planning Issues?
Before you make an offer, ask whether the property has any planning permission history, including extensions or alterations.
Check for restrictive covenants that could limit renovations, parking, or property use.
You’ll also want confirmation that all work meets building regulation requirements and has the right completion certificates.
Planning Permission History
Has the property’s planning history been properly checked? Ask the estate agent for details of approved, refused, withdrawn, or pending applications affecting the house and nearby plots. You’ll want application numbers, decision dates, and copies of plans, particularly where extensions, loft conversions, outbuildings, or changes of use appear in the property’s history.
Check your local council’s online planning portal yourself, because records can reveal unresolved enforcement notices or conditions that limit future alterations. Ask whether previous work received planning permission and building regulations approval; don’t assume an attractive finish means everything is lawful.
Your area’s Neighbourhood history may explain frequent development proposals, while zoning restrictions could affect redevelopment or commercial use. If anything seems unclear, request written clarification and consider a planning consultant before you commit to an offer.
Restrictive Covenants
Restrictive covenants can limit what you do with a property, even where planning permission would otherwise be available. Before viewing, ask the estate agent whether the title includes obligations affecting extensions, conversions, parking, business use, or external alterations.
These Property restrictions may protect a developer, residents’ association, or neighbouring landowner, and they can remain enforceable long after construction. Ask who benefits from each covenant, whether anyone has previously breached it, and whether the seller has obtained consent or indemnity insurance.
In some estates, Neighborhood restrictions control fencing, satellite dishes, holiday lets, or keeping certain animals. Request the title register and transfer documents, then have your conveyancer check wording, enforcement rights, and release options.
Don’t assume council planning approval overrides a private covenant; you may need separate written consent before committing.
Building Regulation Compliance
Ask the estate agent whether any extensions, loft conversions, electrical works, replacement windows, or changes of use have the required planning permission and Building Regulations approval.
Ask to see Building permits, approved plans, and Compliance certificates, including electrical installation, gas safety, glazing, and completion documents.
Don’t assume older work is automatically lawful: your solicitor should check the local council’s records and confirm whether a lawful development certificate, building control completion certificate, or regularisation certificate exists.
Unapproved alterations could lead to enforcement, expensive remedial work, insurance complications, or problems when you sell.
Ask whether conservation-area rules, listed-building consent, Article 4 directions, or local conditions affect the property.
If paperwork’s missing, get specialist advice before viewing seriously, and make any offer subject to satisfactory legal and building-control checks.
What Is Included in the Sale?
Before you make an offer, clarify exactly what’s included in the sale so there are no surprises on moving day. Ask whether curtains, light fittings, carpets, appliances, garden furniture, sheds, and satellite dishes will remain. Check the fixtures-and-fittings list, but don’t rely on assumptions: sellers may remove a smart television, integrated fridge, or bespoke shelving unless it’s specifically agreed.
If you’re buying a furnished property, request an inventory and confirm any furnishing options you’ve discussed. Ask the agent to record included items in writing before you exchange contracts, since verbal promises can be difficult to enforce.
You should also check whether parking permits, storage areas, solar panels, or communal facilities transfer with the property. Local neighborhood amenities won’t form part of the sale, but clarify access rights, maintenance charges, and shared boundaries.
Conclusion
Before you view, ask the questions that reveal what the listing won’t: price flexibility, market history, the seller’s urgency, condition, running costs, legal matters, and included fixtures. You’ll save time, sharpen your offer, and spot expensive surprises early. After all, the viewing is meant to help you decide whether the property suits you—not discover that the “charming original features” include a roof that’s negotiating its own exit. A few direct questions now can prevent costly local lessons later.
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