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Originally Posted by James
Going to my first ever flat viewing tomorrow. Feel the independence coming. Anything I should look out for?
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Exciting! Are you moving out for the first time?
Mold (especially in the washroom, on pipes, or anywhere there is water). BUGS, any bug but especially bedbugs, ants, and cockroaches. Mice/other vermin (poop is a good sign of their presence... I see Jans beat me to that one). Look at the walls for cracks, chipped drywall or plaster (the landlord is usually responsible for that kind of thing). Check for smoke detectors and see if they work (if you can). See if appliances are gas hookup. If so, make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector just in case (you'd probably have to get this yourself. They're cheap and available at any department or hardware store).
Look at the building - is it generally well kempt? Are common areas like the lobby and elevators/stairwells (if any) clean? Do the grounds look like they are maintained? You don't have to inspect every detail of the building but it can give you a decent indication of the management/superintendent or landlord's operation/upkeep of the building. If it's a multi-storey apartment building, just glance down the hall to see if exits are marked and if stairwells are easily accessible in case of fire or some other time you can't use the elevators.
Oof, sounds like I'm scaremongering a bit here. But some of it is advice that I wish I'd gotten when I moved out for the first time.