Moving house checklist: What to ask the estate agent or seller

Where is the water shut off (stopcock)?

This is always a good thing to know the location of before you actually need to know where it is in the home. Plumbing emergencies are only exasperated when you cannot find the water shut off. So, this is always one of the first things you should ask.

 

Where is the boiler located?

In the case of any heating issues you will at least be able to find the boiler quickly and (hopefully) assess the problem before calling a gas technician that hands you a hefty bill for something you could have Googled.

 

Where is the fuse box and are the switches labeled?

This is more important than you think. You likely wouldn’t have too much of a problem finding a fusebox, however, if the switches aren’t labeled a small electrical issue can become a nightmare. Ask before it is too late if the fuse box is labeled correctly.

 

Are there any manuals or warranties on electrical appliances?

Most home appliances come with manuals. These are handy to have around if something like your oven or stovetop acts up. Warranties also come in hand if parts or the entire appliance need replacing. Make sure you ask about both of these to save you on a costly bill in the future.

 

Who are the makers of any fixed furniture like cabinets and shelves?

Something like this may not seem necessary, but should you need any repairs or replacements for fixed furnishings it helps to know the maker so that you can get things replaced easily.

 

Where did the tiling come from?

Just as with fixed furnishings, you should ask where the bathroom and kitchen tiling came from incase it ever needs to be replaced. Knowing the manufacturer will make it much easier to match the tile and save you a headache as well.

 

Are there any paint tins with the colour of the walls?

This will be useful information incase you ever need to repaint or touch up spots on the walls with paint. If paint tins aren’t available, ask what brand and colour the paint used is.

 

How do you take care of certain surfaces?

It never hurts to ask about little things, like how to take care of certain surfaces like granite countertops and hardwood floors, especially if you are not used to caring for some surfaces that may part of your new home.

 

Who supplies the best internet, cable service and phone?

You will want to know this in order to get the best data services in your home. It is likely that the estate agent will either know this or can ask the prior residents about it.

 

What day are bins collected?

As basic as it sounds, this is one thing most people forget to ask upon move in. Before you end up being the only neighbour without your bins out and about on rubbish day, make sure to ask about this simple matter.