Check a property before you pay: a six-step routine

A good listing photo proves very little. What protects you is a routine you repeat for every property, however friendly the agent and however urgent the deadline sounds. Here is the one we recommend.

1. See it in person, or send someone you trust

Never pay for a place you have not seen. If you are abroad, ask a relative or a trusted friend to visit, and ask for a live video walk-through while they are standing inside, showing the street, the gate, the water and power set-up.

2. Confirm who you are dealing with

Ask for the landlord or agent's full name and a valid identity document, and check that the person showing you the property is the person receiving the money. On iLIVV, look for the iLIVV Mark and the provider's recorded track record; both are built from verified records, not from what a profile claims.

3. Ask for the paperwork that proves the right to let or sell

• For a rental: proof that the person owns the property or is authorised to let it, in writing.
• For a purchase: the title documents and survey plan, checked by your own lawyer at the relevant land registry, not by the seller's lawyer.
• Any previous tenancy or sale agreement that is still running on the property.

4. Get every cost in writing before you commit

Rent is only one line. Ask about service charge, caution or security deposit, agency and legal fees, power, water and waste costs, and who pays for repairs. Our CostLine tool adds these up so you can compare the real move-in cost of different places.

5. Use a written agreement and a traceable payment

Sign a tenancy or sale agreement that names both parties and the property, and pay to a bank account in the name of the person or company named in it. Keep the transfer receipt, and ask for a signed acknowledgement of every payment. Avoid cash where a transfer is possible.

6. Walk away from pressure

Urgency, a price far below similar homes, a refusal to let you visit, or a request to pay somewhere unusual are all reasons to stop and ask a question. A genuine provider will wait a day for you to check. If something feels wrong, report the listing from its menu so our team can review it.