What to check before buying a house
Check four things before you commit: the building, the legal position, the area and the full cost of owning it. Use viewings and public records before you offer, then a survey, your conveyancer's searches and the lender's valuation before you exchange. In England and Wales nothing binds you until contracts are exchanged.
Download the checklist (PDF)Work from cheap checks to expensive ones
An offer in England and Wales is not legally binding until contracts are exchanged, so you have room to investigate. Money spent on a survey and searches is lost if you walk away, though, so do the free and low-cost checks first and save the paid ones for a home you are serious about.
| Stage | What to check | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| Before viewing | Sale history, EPC, planning, flood and crime records, Council Tax band | You |
| At the viewing | Visible condition, light, noise, storage, what is included | You |
| Before offering | Comparable sold prices, tenure, years left on any lease | You |
| After your offer is accepted | Survey, searches, title, lender's valuation | Surveyor, conveyancer, lender |
| Before exchange | Survey and search results, contract, mortgage offer, insurance | You and your conveyancer |
This guide covers England and Wales. In Scotland the seller normally has to provide a Home Report, which includes a survey and valuation, and the legal steps differ.
What to look for at the viewing
You are looking for reasons to ask questions, not making a diagnosis.
- Damp: musty smells, stains, peeling paper, or one freshly painted patch on an otherwise tired wall.
- Cracks: note where they are and how wide, especially around windows, doors and extensions. Many are harmless, but a surveyor should see them.
- Roof and gutters: look from across the road for slipped tiles, a sagging line and plants growing from the gutters.
- Windows and doors: check they open and close properly.
- Heating and electrics: ask the age of the boiler, when it was last serviced and when the wiring was last tested.
- Water: run a tap and flush a toilet to get a feel for the pressure.
- Garden and boundaries: compare the fences with what you are told you are buying. Learn what Japanese knotweed looks like, because a viewing is one of your few chances to spot it.
Read the records before you offer
Look at what the home sold for in the past and what similar homes nearby fetched. Check the energy rating, remembering that a certificate lasts 10 years, so it may not reflect recent work. Then look up planning applications around it, flood risk and recorded crime.
A Doorstep Report brings these records together for an address in England or Wales, with the source and coverage of each section, and you can see what has been found before you pay. It shows current flood alerts and area flood screening where available, not an address-level flood assessment, and its planning data covers England only. A missing record does not prove a risk is absent. For more detail, see how to check a house's history and how to check an area.
Check the legal position
Find out exactly what you would be buying. A freehold gives you the house and the land. A leasehold gives you a fixed number of years, often with service charges and ground rent, so confirm the tenure before you offer. HM Land Registry sells a title register or title plan online for £7 each, showing the registered owner, rights such as rights of way, and the location and boundaries of the property.
Ask about changes to the building. Extensions, loft conversions and removed walls may need planning permission, building regulations approval or both, and gov.uk warns that without approval you may not have the certificates you need when you sell. In England, the period for planning enforcement on most breaches since 25 April 2024 is 10 years.
Your conveyancer will send you the seller's Property Information Form (TA6) and Fittings and Contents Form (TA10). Read them yourself. The current TA6 allows 'not known' as an answer to many questions, and 'not known' does not mean 'no'.
Add up the full cost
Most buyers pay a property tax, and the rules depend on where the home is.
| Where | Tax | Payable on a main home |
|---|---|---|
| England and Northern Ireland | Stamp Duty Land Tax | Above £125,000, or above £300,000 for eligible first-time buyers |
| Wales | Land Transaction Tax | Above £225,000, with no first-time buyer relief |
| Scotland | Land and Buildings Transaction Tax | Above £145,000, or £175,000 with first-time buyer relief |
MoneyHelper warns that fees alone can pass £5,000 before your deposit and tax. Then add running costs: Council Tax, energy, insurance and, for a flat, the service charge. If flood risk comes up, ask for an insurance quote early. Flood Re, which helps insurers cover homes at risk, only applies to homes built and given a Council Tax band before 2009.
Before you exchange
At exchange both sides become legally bound, and if you pull out you are likely to lose your deposit, which is often 10% of the price. Citizens Advice says buildings insurance should be in place from that date. Before you sign, make sure that:
- You have read the survey and had your questions answered.
- Your conveyancer has reported on the title, searches and contract.
- Your mortgage offer is in place and its conditions are met.
- You know which fixtures and fittings are staying.
- You have confirmed your conveyancer's bank details by phone, on a number you trust.
Use the printable checklist on this page to tick these off as you go.
Questions, answered
What should I check first when buying a house?
Start with the free records and the numbers: what similar homes sold for, the tenure, the EPC, and what you can afford once tax and fees are included. There is little point paying for a survey until those stack up.
What are the biggest warning signs at a viewing?
Damp smells, large cracks, a sagging roof line, fresh paint in one spot, and a seller who cannot answer basic questions about extensions or boundaries. None of these proves a problem, but each is worth raising with a surveyor or conveyancer.
Can I pull out after my offer is accepted?
Yes. In England and Wales neither side is bound until contracts are exchanged. You would usually lose what you have already spent on surveys, searches and legal work.
Is a Doorstep Report enough on its own?
No. It helps you decide whether a home is worth pursuing and what to ask next. It is not a survey, valuation or legal search, and it does not assess condition or name owners.