The checklist to take with you when viewing a property

Before you go

• Ask for the listing reference and keep screenshots.
• Check that the vendor is verified on the platform.
• Go in daylight, never in the evening.

On site: water and power

• Open every tap. Does the pressure hold?
• Is there a borehole or a water tank? Does it work?
• Is the ENEO meter in the property's name, and are there arrears?
• Test every socket with a charger.

The structure

• Look for damp marks at the bottom of the walls.
• Check the ceiling below any upstairs bathroom.
• Open and close every door and window.

The surroundings

• Come back once at the end of the day to judge noise and traffic.
• Locate the market, the school, the nearest bike-taxi stop.
• Ask the neighbours how long the place has been empty, and why.

The paperwork

• For a rental: the landlord's title, or a management mandate.
• For a purchase: land title, survey plan, property-tax receipt.