A property expert has revealed the top things you should look out for when scouting your first buy, saying it could save you “tens of thousands” in the long run.

Vijay Singh, who has been working in the property industry for four years previously hit the headlines after sharing his own successful portfolio – owning 16 houses worth £1.56 million.

The 33-year-old, based in the Midlands, grew up in India, where he and his family shared a tiny living space, before moving back to the UK in his teens.

In Vijay’s latest reel, uploaded to his Instagram account (@imvijaysinghh ), where he has 97,000 followers, the property investor details his must-dos when viewing a home – from checking under the sink to bringing a pal with you.

And he’s shared the key questions to ask the agent while you’re there, too.

“I suggest taking recordings of your viewing because you don’t have much time when viewing a property,” Vijay told NeedToKnow.co.uk.

“So if you've recorded your viewing, you can then watch back in case you missed something crucial.

“Always do the maths [too], know your numbers.

“I always suggest keeping aside a 10-15% contingency [for when you’ve bought a home] because there will always be some costs/things that you may not have expected in the first place.

“Keep a contingency gives you that peace of mind.”

Vijay also shares these top areas to cover before considering putting an offer in.

CHECK OUT THE ROOF

Vijay says that roofs are one of the most expensive things to replace and can end up costing over £10,000 or more, depending on the severity of potential issues.

He said: “If it's an original roof and looks beyond repair, and you look at other houses in the street and they have new roofs, you'll know it needs replacing.

“Look out for slipped and cracked tiles; these will need realigning.”

BOILER AND ELECTRICS

Don’t just look at the general interior – dig deeper and always check the appliances.

He said: “If a boiler is giving off an odd smell, keeps turning off or water leaks then that's a sign that your boiler needs replacing.

“If it looks old, I always advise setting aside a budget to replace it as, eventually, an old boiler always needs replacing!”

Vijay says that you can usually tell if a house needs rewiring by how old the fuse board is and there are building regulations that state the fuse board must be metal.

He added: “Even if it's relatively new wiring, for example, five to seven years old, and has a plastic fuse board, it'll need a new metal fuse board upgrade at the very least.”

SUBSIDENCE

If you spot a crack that is more than a couple of millimeters thick, positioned diagonally, and is visible from both the inside and outside of the property, it’s likely to be subsidence.

Vijay said: “Subsidence is a serious issue because the ground underneath your property is sinking, making it unsafe and very expensive to fix.

“Most mortgage lenders will not lend on a property with subsidence, and it also massively reduces the value of your property.”

WINDOWS

When it comes to windows, Vijay has shared two key things to look out for discolouration and handle condition.

He said: “They usually discolour over time to a yellowish colour which usually means they will need to be replaced eventually.”

The property expert says you should also test each window to ensure that they open, close, and lock properly – and flags that window handles always need keys in rental properties.

RISING DAMP

It’s no secret that living in damp conditions can cause serious health issues but it can clear your bank account too, depending on the severity of the case.

To save yourself thousands in the long run, Vijay advises purchasing a moisture metre from Amazon.

The property expert said: “Put the meter into the wall a few inches above the skirting board, and the meter will tell you if it’s damp or not.

“Rising damp only goes up to one metre from ground level, so if it’s higher than that, it will be caused by something else.”

PLUMBING

The final thing that you should keep an eye on is the plumbing.

It seems simple but by doing a bit of digging, you could save yourself a lot of cash.

Despite the fact it is difficult to assess plumbing when it comes to baths, the property expert recommends looking for visible signs of any leaks and under the kitchen sink to see if the unit is wet.

He said: “With heating pipes, check next to the radiators and see if there are any visible signs of leaks.

“If the heating pipes are 8mm, we would always replace all pipework.”

In addition to keeping your eyes peeled at a viewing, Vijay also advises bringing someone with you when attending properties as often two sets of eyes are better than one.

If possible, he recommends bringing a builder who can spot crafty mistakes a mile off.

*** FACT BOX: WHAT TO ASK THE PROPERTY AGENT DURING A VIEWING ***

Why is the owner selling?

How long has the property been on the market?

Has the property repeatedly changed hands?

How many offers have you had?

What is the minimum price the seller will accept?

What renovations have been carried out to the property (if any)?

ENDS