Practical preparation · Separate consultancy support
Give the visit a purpose
A useful viewing brief states the intended use, key questions and the decisions you need to make next. Share the property details and any restrictions on access or photography before the visit is agreed.
- Set priorities such as layout, access and surrounding streets.
- Identify questions to put to the selling or letting agent.
- Agree who will attend and the permissions needed.
Know what a visit can tell you
An observational visit can record what was seen and what others said. It is not a building survey, valuation, title check or certification that a property is suitable for purchase.
- Distinguish observations from claims made by the agent.
- Record areas that could not be accessed.
- Refer structural, planning, lease and legal questions to specialists.
Make the report usable
Agree the output beforehand: a short written note, authorised photographs, a question list or a follow-up call. Highlight gaps and further checks instead of treating an unanswered point as satisfactory.
- Include the visit date and the information available at the time.
- Link each unresolved question to the relevant adviser or agent.
- Confirm travel, time and reporting fees before instruction.
Bring to the first conversation
- Property link and reason for considering it
- Intended use and the questions you need answered
- Agent contact and access arrangements
- Preferred report, timetable and authorised recipients
Start with an outline. Send sensitive documents only through the secure route agreed with Jack.
Your questions, answered
Can a viewing replace a survey?
No. A viewing report records observations within the agreed brief. Use a suitably qualified surveyor for condition advice and your solicitor for legal checks.
Link to this answerCan you attend every property at short notice?
Availability, travel, access and the required scope need confirming first. Send the location and proposed dates so a practical arrangement and fee can be discussed.
Link to this answerPrepared for Jack Cousins’s website · 12 October 2026. About Jack · How site content is prepared. The agreed consultancy scope does not replace legal, tax, valuation or investment advice.