Chapter 5 of 10 · From sale agreed to keys · 3 of 12
Forty questions to ask when buying a house, grouped by who answers them
Checked 21 Oct 2026the Central Bank's mortgage measures, Revenue's rules and the scheme operators' published terms.
Forty questions for the agent, the seller and your solicitor: why it's for sale, BER, planning, boundaries, management fees and more.
Check before you hire: a surveyor or engineer should be on the register kept by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland or Engineers Ireland. SCSI: find a chartered surveyor
Written in plain English for the person buying, selling or switching. This guide covers the Republic of Ireland only.
Buying a home is a long string of questions. The trouble is knowing who to ask. The agent knows the sale. The seller knows the house. Your solicitor knows the title. Your surveyor knows the building. The lender knows the loan. Here are forty questions, grouped by the person who can actually answer them, with a note on why each one matters.
Ten questions for the agent
The agent (an agent needs a PSRA licence; see the estate agent page) works for the seller. The agent will answer honestly but is not there to help you. Ask for important answers in writing.
- Why is the seller selling? A move for work is simple. A dispute with a neighbour is not.
- How long has the home been on the market? A long time at this price says something.
- Have there been offers, and what happened to them? A sale that fell through may have fallen on the survey.
- Is the seller in a chain? If the seller has to buy before moving out, your closing waits on theirs.
- What is the BER? It must be in the advert. A1 to B3 opens green mortgage rates; the BER guide explains the scale.
- What is included in the price? Cooker, blinds, shed, garden furniture. If it is not in the contract, it can leave with the seller.
- What did similar homes nearby sell for? Then check the Property Price Register yourself.
- When can the seller move out? A seller who needs six months is a different deal from one who can go in six weeks.
- How much is the booking deposit, and where is it held? The booking deposit guide says what to expect.
- Is there a management company, and what is the yearly charge? Apartments and many new estates have one.
Ten questions for the seller
Sellers are often at viewings, and most will tell you more than the agent. Anything that matters to the deal, send to your solicitor as well so it is asked formally.
- How old is the boiler, and when was it last serviced?
- When was the roof last worked on? Any leaks?
- Has the home ever flooded, or has the street?
- Has there ever been damp, and what was done about it?
- Was the extension, attic conversion or garage built with planning permission, or is it exempt?
- Who are the neighbours, and have there been any disputes about boundaries, noise or parking?
- What are the heating bills in winter? Ask to see one.
- Is there a septic tank or a private well? When was the tank last emptied and the well tested?
- Is the home on a group water scheme or a private road? Are there yearly charges?
- Is anything in the home or garden you would want to take with you?
Ten questions for your solicitor
Your solicitor (check the Law Society's register; see the conveyancing solicitor page) reads the title and the contract. These are the things to ask once the contracts arrive.
- Is the title registered, and is it clean? Any charge, lien or judgment against it?
- Is there planning permission and a certificate of compliance for every part of the home, including extensions?
- Do the boundaries on the ground match the map on the title?
- Are there any rights of way over the land, or that the home depends on?
- Is the Local Property Tax paid up to date, and what band is it in?
- What do the special conditions in the contract say, and which ones worry you?
- Is there a subject to loan clause, and do I need one? The signing contracts guide explains it.
- What is the closing date, and what happens if either side misses it?
- What is your fee, and what are the outlays? Ask for a written quote under section 150 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015.
- What is on the completion statement, line by line?
Five questions for your surveyor
A surveyor or engineer (Engineers Ireland or the SCSI; see the house survey page) inspects the building. The survey costs €300 to €600 plus VAT for a standard home, or €1,500 to €3,000 plus VAT for a full structural survey of an older or altered one.
- Is the home structurally sound: roof, walls, foundations, cracks?
- Is there damp, and is it rising damp, a leak or condensation? Each costs a different amount to fix.
- Does the home need rewiring or replumbing? How old are the wiring and the pipes?
- Is there any sign of pyrite or mica in the blocks or the floors? Which parts of the country are affected?
- What would each fault you found cost to fix, roughly? That figure is what you take back to the seller.
The viewing checklist helps you spot the things to point the surveyor at.
Five questions for the lender
Your lender, or your broker (on the Central Bank's register; see the mortgage advisor page), can answer these once you go sale agreed.
- Is my approval in principle still current, and does it cover this price?
- What does the valuation need to show, and what happens if it comes in low?
- Which conditions are in the loan offer, and which take longest? The loan offer guide lists the usual ones.
- How long is the offer valid, and what does an extension involve?
- What is the monthly repayment at the rate on offer, and how much does it move if the rate changes by 1%? The repayment calculator shows this.
When to ask what
| Stage | Who | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Viewing | Agent, seller | 1 to 20 |
| Before bidding | Lender | 36 and 40 |
| After sale agreed | Surveyor | 31 to 35 |
| When the contracts arrive | Solicitor | 21 to 28 |
| Before signing | Solicitor, lender | 29, 30, 37 to 39 |
The buying timeline tool shows when each stage typically falls after sale agreed.
Three questions for yourself
Nobody else can answer these.
- Can I carry the repayment if my income drops or the rate rises by 2%?
- Would I still want this home if I knew what the survey finds?
- What is the most I will pay, written down, before the bidding starts? The bidding guide explains why that number matters.
Where this leaves you
Print the forty questions, take them to the next viewing, and put your sale agreed date into the buying timeline tool to see when each person's answers are due. The first-time buyer journey puts the professionals in order, and you can get quotes for a surveyor and a solicitor before you need them.
Questions people ask
What questions should I ask an estate agent when viewing a house?
Why is it for sale, how long has it been on the market, have there been offers, what is the BER, what is included, and is there a chain. The agent works for the seller, so ask for anything important in writing.
What should I ask my solicitor before buying a house?
Is the title clean, is there planning permission for every part of the home, do the boundaries match the map, are there rights of way, is the Local Property Tax paid, and what do the special conditions in the contract say.
Can I ask the seller questions directly?
You can, at a viewing or through the agent, and sellers often tell you more than agents do. Anything that matters to the deal, such as a flooding history or a dispute with a neighbour, should also go to your solicitor so it is asked formally.
What questions does a surveyor answer?
Whether the home is sound: the roof, damp, cracks, wiring, plumbing, insulation, the attic, the extension. A surveyor also tells you what the fixes are likely to cost, which is what you need before you decide to go ahead at the price.