Master Checklist

Of the many things that can go wrong with property conveyancing, some can be catastrophic. This list highlights some of them, and if you know of others, please send us the details.

1. The Four Seasons  Most property viewings occur during the warmer months of the year, but many completions occur in the dead of winter. Buyers and sellers alike need to think ahead - will the property be empty during the handover, especially in the winter, when freezing weather can lead to burst pipes?
   
   
2. Vacant property Properties for sale can be vacant for various reasons, and various periods of time - executor sales; vendors already moved into a new home; second home; buy to let.
   
   Even after completion, buyers don’t necessarily move into the new home immediately.
   
   Vacant homes are at risk of vandals, squatters, thieves and other malefactors. Homes vacant for a certain period of time (normally 30 days) may also run afoul of conditions applied by insurers or mortgage lenders.
   
   
3. Put it in writing-A If, for example, you make an offer on a property and you put it in writing to the estate agent, you increase your chances of at least two things happening: the agent actually passing on your offer to the seller, and the agent passing on accurate information. A certain degree of power attaches to paper and paper trails.
   
   
4. Put it in writing-B If, for example, your surveyor agrees that you can be present during the survey, put that agreement in writing. You then have some comeback if the survey is done behind your back. See Diary of a First-Time Housebuyer- Part 4. 
   
   
5. Fixtures and fittings Carpets. Curtains. Light fixtures. Garden plants. What stays and what goes are normally dealt with by the conveyancers for both sides, who draw up and agree a simple list. Make sure this happens – and make sure the list is complete, especially for items that are important to you. Conflicts over who owns what and who promised what still frequently occur.
   
   
6. Where and How? Buyers should ask the seller to show them the various controls, levers and switches for the boiler, the gas supply and the like. Know where they are located, and how they work. Ensure, too, that the seller provides the various manuals, contracts and guarantees for such items as the central heating systems, the microwave and other items—including guarantees for, say, woodworm treatment.
   
   
7. Keys! Buyers must ensure that the seller passes on ALL relevant keys, for windows as well as doors and for sheds, outbuildings and other structures.

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