Checklist for Visiting an Apartment
Description:
After patient research, you have finally found an apartment rental or sale offer that meets your needs and budget. But to avoid any unpleasant surprises, you must visit this apartment with the utmost care before making any commitment, especially if you plan to buy it.
Use this checklist to make your apartment visit a success and to think about everything on the spot!
Notice:
The checklist for visiting an apartment includes:
– the list of documents to be required;
– the elements to check in the apartment;
– the elements to check in the building;
– the elements to check in the neighbourhood.
This apartment visit checklist is suitable for both rentals and purchases.
Checklist for visiting an apartment
Documents to be requested
For a rental or a sale
|
Document |
OK |
Problems without gravity |
Serious problems |
Not submitted |
|
Diagnosis of energy performance |
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State of natural and technological risks (State of risks and pollution, natural, mining or technological hazards, seismicity, radon potential and polluted soil) |
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|
Diagnosis relating to the risk of exposure to lead |
For a sale
|
Document |
OK |
Problems without gravity |
Serious problems |
Not submitted |
|
Certificate of area |
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|
Last call for condominium fees |
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|
Minutes of the last three general meetings of co-owners |
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Last property tax notice |
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Electrical diagnosis (if the installation is more than 15 years old) |
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Natural gas diagnosis (if the installation is more than 15 years old) |
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Termite diagnosis (if the zone is concerned) |
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Asbestos diagnosis |
The visit to the district
Services
– Daily shops: ____ minutes on foot / by car
– Supermarkets: ____ minutes on foot / by car
– Doctors: ____ minutes on foot / by car
– School / college / high school: ____ minutes on foot / by public transport / by car
– Sports / cultural facilities: ____ minutes on foot / by public transport / by car
– Bus / streetcar / metro / train: ____ minutes on foot / by car
– Main road: ____ minutes by car
Nuisances
– Noise: busy road / trains / planes / school
– Odours: exhaust fumes / factory
Quality of the neighbourhood
– Neighbourhood: maintained / correct / degraded
– Green spaces nearby: ____ minutes on foot / by car
– Play areas for children: ____ minutes walk/drive
– Planned work nearby: ____
If you are considering a purchase, you should ask the municipal or departmental authorities what work they have decided to do in this area.
Visit the building
– Number of floors: ____
– Facades: maintained / correct / degraded
– Presence of a guard: in the building / outside the building/none.
– Security system: code / intercom / none
– Lobby: maintained / correct / degraded
– Elevator: maintained / correct / degraded
– Stairs: maintained / correct / degraded
If these common areas need work that has not yet been voted on, you will have to contribute to their financing if you buy the apartment.
Cellars
– Security: access by a secured door / solid box doors / not secured
– Condition: maintained / correct / degraded
Parking
– Type: Box/basement space / outdoor parking/street parking (check if there are enough spaces nearby)
– Security: access through secured door / free access
– Circulation: easy/difficult (ramp or narrow aisles…)
– Condition: maintained / correct / deteriorated
Visit the apartment
– Floor: ____
– Number of rooms: ____ Number of bedrooms: ____
– Number of bathrooms: ____ Number of toilets: ____
– Orientation: ____
– Layout of the rooms and plan of the apartment: pleasant/correct/unpleasant
Energy
– Heating: Electric / Gas / Collective
– Domestic hot water: Electric / Gas / Collective
– Cooking: Electric / Gas
Sound insulation
– Can you hear your neighbours at home?
– Can you hear what is happening on the landing?
– Can you hear the elevator?
– Can you hear outside noise?
Entrance door
– Front door: solid / insecure
– Front door lock: three-point / simple
For each room
– Size: good / adequate / poor
– Brightness: good / sufficient / poor
– View: pleasant / good / unpleasant
– Windows:
◦ airtight / rain tight
◦ open and close easily
◦ in good condition / in poor condition
– Shutters: in good condition / correct / in poor condition / missing
– Door: in good condition / correct / in poor condition
– Floor: in good condition / correct / in bad condition
– Walls: in good condition / correct / in bad condition
– Traces of humidity (touch the walls with your hand to check): wet area / dry traces / no
– Test all switches
– Electrical outlets: in good condition / in bad condition
– Radiator: in good condition / in bad condition / absent
– Cupboards and storage units (open them all): in good condition / in bad condition / absent
For the water rooms
– Sanitary equipment: in good condition / correct / in bad condition
– Test all the taps
– Test the toilet flushes
– Look under the sinks and washbasins
– Ventilation: in good condition / in bad condition / absent
Work
Essential work to be done
– ____
– ____
Desirable works
– ____
– ____
