Viewings, surveys and checks before auction day

At a traditional auction you buy the property as it is once the hammer falls. There is no chance to renegotiate after a disappointing survey, so do your checks before you bid.

View it if you can

• Book a viewing through the auctioneer. Many lots have block viewings at set times.
• Take photos, measure up and compare boundaries and access with the HM Land Registry title plan.
• Look for signs of damp, roof problems and cracking, and check whether gas, electricity and water are connected.
• Visit the area at different times of day.
• Some lots, such as tenanted property, have limited or no internal access. Allow for that risk in your price.

Get professional advice

• A survey from a qualified surveyor tells you about condition. Choose a level that suits the property's age and state.
• A valuation helps you judge the price. If you are borrowing, your lender will want its own.
• If work is needed, get builders' quotes before the auction, not after.

Do your desk research

• Compare recent sold prices for similar property nearby.
• Search the council's planning register for past applications, refusals and enforcement, and check for listed building or conservation area status.
• Check flood risk on GOV.UK for property in England.
• For land, check access, rights of way and whether planning permission is realistic. Some land may never get permission.
• For tenanted lots, read the tenancy documents, rent and arrears in the legal pack.

Ask the auctioneer

• Why is it being sold at auction?
• Has the guide changed, and will the seller consider offers before the auction?
• Are there any known problems, such as subsidence, invasive plants or non-standard construction?

These checks cost time and money, and you may not win the lot. Many buyers accept that as part of the process. Ask a solicitor to review the legal pack alongside what your survey finds.