The two-hour viewing checklist for a distressed property

Distressed properties are usually distressed for a reason, and that reason is almost never fully disclosed. A methodical two-hour viewing catches most of the expensive surprises. Bring a torch, a plug tester, a moisture meter if you have one, and a phone camera with generous storage.

Start with the roof from the street. Sagging, missing tiles, patchwork repairs, or a chimney visibly separating from the roofline are all six-figure conversations. Photograph everything.

Inside, spend the first thirty minutes doing nothing but opening cupboards, taps, windows, and every electrical socket. A plug tester across every accessible outlet takes ten minutes and will surface unearthed circuits, reversed polarity, and — occasionally — that the entire property is being fed off a single extension lead.

Water is the enemy. Check under every sink, behind the toilet, along the base of every external wall, and in every ceiling access hatch. Efflorescence, staining, or fresh paint on skirting boards is where damp hides.

Finish outside. Boundary walls, servitudes, encroachments, the position of the electrical meter, and — critically — whether the erf shape matches the title deed diagram you should have already downloaded from WinDeed.