Go at the time of day you would normally be home. A quiet street at 11am can be very different at 6pm.
Water and heat
- Run the shower and a tap at the same time — check pressure and how long hot water takes.
- Find the heating controls and ask what a typical winter bill looks like.
- Look under the sink and around the base of the toilet for damp or staining.
The fabric of the place
- Corners and ceilings for damp or mould, particularly in bathrooms and behind furniture.
- Open and close every window. Check the seals and whether they lock.
- Test the phone signal in each room, and ask which broadband providers serve the building.
Practicalities
- Where laundry actually is, and what it costs.
- Where you would park, and whether a permit is needed.
- Where the rubbish and recycling go, and on what day.
- How much storage there really is.
Questions worth asking
- Why is the current tenant leaving?
- How long has it been empty?
- Who handles repairs, and how quickly?
- Is anything going to change — a rent rise, works planned, the building being sold?