Final home inspection: what is it and what should you look out for?

The final inspection is the last time you walk through the home as a buyer, just before you sign at the civil-law notary and officially become the owner. You check whether the home is in the same condition as when you signed the purchase agreement, whether everything works and whether the items on the list of items (lijst van zaken) are still there. We usually do the final inspection one hour before the appointment at the notary.

When is the final inspection?

On the day of the transfer, just before the notary. We usually plan it one hour ahead. That gives you enough time to check everything calmly, and afterwards you can go straight to the notary to sign. And to enjoy the moment, because that is when you get the keys.

If you are our buying client, I come along as your buying agent and we go through the home together.

What do you check during the final inspection?

The home must be in the same condition as when you signed the purchase agreement. We mainly check whether everything works:

• Do all the radiators get warm?
• Do all the gas burners in the kitchen work?
• Do the dishwasher and the oven switch on and off?
• Do the windows and doors open and close properly?
• Does hot water come out of every tap?
• Does the toilet flush?

The home also has to be broom-clean. Ideally it is properly clean, and fortunately that is what we see most of the time.

Which items stay behind?

We take the list of items that comes with the purchase agreement and go through it. Everything that is ticked stays behind. And it really has to be there.

Buyer and seller have often agreed separately that the buyer takes over some furniture. I always ask them to confirm that to each other by email. At the final inspection we pull up that email and check that everything is right.

Once in a while a seller leaves too much behind out of enthusiasm, thinking it will be useful for the home. Not every buyer is waiting for that. That is another reason to look together before you sign.

Why do you take the meter readings?

During the final inspection we note the meter readings for gas, electricity and water. For the buyer these are the starting readings, for the seller the final ones. That way everyone pays exactly for what they used.

What if something is not right?

Sometimes something does not work, or there is damage that was not there when the home was bought. We then look for a solution together, in good consultation. Because you are often at the notary an hour later, there is little you can repair on the spot. What we do is make clear agreements, so it gets sorted properly after the signing.

There are a few ways to do that:

• The seller still arranges the repair.
• The buyer has it repaired and the costs are settled with the seller. We agree on that in advance, including the amount.
• If the damage is bigger, the notary can hold part of the money in a deposit until it has been resolved. That does not happen often.

Recently, at one home, there was a lot of water on the laminate floor after the washing machine had been disconnected. The floor had started to warp. Annoying, because my clients wanted to use that room as a storage space and the floor was no longer usable. I immediately called my regular handyman and showed him the situation on a video call. He made a quote including a new floor, and we settled that amount with the seller. After that we could simply sign.

Is the final inspection the same as a structural survey?

No. You have a structural survey done before the purchase becomes final. A building surveyor then looks at the condition of the home, such as the roof, the foundations and the installations. The final inspection is much shorter and is only about whether the home is as agreed, on the day you get it.

Would you like someone at your side who guides you through moments like this? Read what you can expect from us as your buying agent, or get in touch with us.