• Work out how much you can afford to spend on the property
• Check the district and location of the property
• Check out the property surroundings, including the local transportation network, public amenities, and nearby schools. Also check any development plans that may affect the neighbourhood in the future
• Compare different developers, property management service providers, and security service providers
• Investigate the prices and resale values of second-hand properties in the neighbourhood

Before acquiring your property, remember to collect as much information as you can about it, including:

• The title of the property and any subsisting encumbrances (including mortgages or charges, building orders and court orders)
• The current owner’s title to the property
• Any restrictions on the purpose and use of the property
• The lease term (including any remaining term, and limitations on renewal)
• The current state of the property (owner-occupied or leased)
• The government lease term
• The owner’s description of the property (e.g. any modifications made to the unit, any forthcoming maintenance works on the building, and owners’ liability for the costs involved)

Before completing the transaction, verify with the owner that all outstanding rates, land rent, property maintenance and management fees have been settled, otherwise as the new owner you may become liable for these. Also, remember to check with the estate agent or owner whether the property has any unauthorised building works, or is subject to a repair order. If yes, check whether the bank will accept the property for mortgage.

Things to note when viewing a property:
You should make the following requests to your estate agent before making any decisions:

• Sign an estate agency agreement before inspecting the property (the so-called “Viewing Paper”)
• Ask the estate agent to arrange viewings at different times of the day so you can gain a better understanding of things such as the outlook, local pedestrian traffic, and potential noise issues
• Avoid engaging different estate agents to view the same property, as this may result in you paying duplicated commission should you decide to buy
• Obtain a valuation of the property (you can request a verbal valuation from your agent, or use our online valuation programme for an instant valuation)

The mortgage application process is very simple. Simply contact one of our Standard Chartered Mortgage Masters, who will arrange everything for you. Please get the following documents ready in advance:

Basic documents

1. A copy of a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card or a valid passport
2. A copy of the Provisional or Formal Agreement for Sale and Purchase
3. A completed Mortgage Application form that has been signed by all applicants
4. Proof of personal income (please refer to details below)

Having purchased a property, many owners find themselves plagued by problems such as cracks in marble surfaces, whether bathroom floors should be sloped, and water leaks. Mr. Tsim Chai-Nam, a renowned Hong Kong flat inspector, offers some handy tips on these topics.

• More than 20 years’ inspection experience. Inspected over 7,000 homes.
• Inspection expert for the “House-owners New Experience” segment of Hong Kong Cable TV’s Housing Market programme
• Published around 20 articles in the Hong Kong Economic Times, and a series of reference books on flat inspection

The greatest difficulty when inspecting natural stone is to distinguish whether a crack is natural or artificial. Here are some tips for checking cracks:

• The physical properties of polished stone should be such that reflections are shown clearly on the finished glossy surfaces;
• Natural cracks are consistent with the patterns of the stone, but artificial ones are not;
• Natural cracks feel smoother than artificial ones.

Unlike artificial stone, natural stone is often inconsistent in colour, and may be handled as follows:

• Observed from a distance of 1500mm under normal indoor lighting, if there is no significant difference in colour, then it can be considered as acceptable quality.
• Very small defects in marble, whether naturally occurring or man-made, can be repaired on site.

Our responsibility to preserve Earth’s limited resources should be kept in mind. If every stone with a tiny defect was replaced, we could not meet the demand even if we had hundreds more quarries; not to mention the big increases in carbon emissions and in the consumption of precious water resources that would follow.

Disputes often arise between flat owners and developers over the levelling of kitchen and toilet floors. In recent years, many flat owners have favoured level flooring in their kitchens and toilets. Several reasons for this have been put forward. Some say that it resembles hotel-style designs. Some believe that marble is unsuitable for a sloping floor. And some believe that the upkeep of level floors is easier.

Among the multitude of opinions, I find the comments of two overseas professionals most convincing. They note that toilets and kitchens are prone to serious water damage, which can affect the durability of the structure and the decoration. They suggest that a level floor design, using easy to clean materials, is a suitable option for reducing the risk of water damage.

In recent years, there have been fewer cases of toilet and kitchen ceiling leaks in new flats as a result of this style of design.

Hollow plastering should be checked by tapping on the ceiling or wall with a pen or rubber mallet. The acceptable size of a hollow is shown in the following diagram.

Even when individual hollows do not exceed 300mm x 300mm, if the maximum length and width of the hollows equate to 300mm, the hollows should be repaired as a larger 300mm x 300mm hollow.

Wall or floor tiles should be checked by tapping them with a pen or rubber mallet. The guidelines for hollows behind tiles are as follows:

Property owners hate finding signs of water leakage in their flats. Leaks usually occur in or near windows, exterior walls, ceilings, the water supply system, drainage pipes, and areas near air conditioners. Check carefully for the following when taking possession of a property:

• water stains and crystallisation on structural ceilings in the kitchen and toilet;
• water stains around windows, or damaged, missing or bubbly glass silicon sealant and waterproof mastic on the outside of windows;
• water stains or leaks in and around the water supply and drainage systems;
• water stains on air conditioners, proper insulation of coolant pipes, and gaps between coolant pipes and exterior walls
• water stains on any exterior walls

Other areas should also be checked carefully for signs of water damage.

Too much vibration can harm the structure of a property. According to British Standard BS8110, which is applicable in Hong Kong, structures should not be subject to excessive vibrations and shocks:

Source: British Standard BS8110/BS8110 Structural Use of Concrete

During renovations, property owners should follow these rules of thumb:

• Do not use overly large power tools;
• Do not drill overly deep holes;
• Do not use chisels or drill rods that are not sharp enough;
• Do not drill holes that damage the main structures or fireproof structures;
• Engage a professional surveyor to survey your property if necessary; and
• Make sure no cracks are evident around drilled holes.

After carrying out a property inspection, a repair order needs to be prepared. An ideal repair order should include the following:

• a brief itemized description of defects;
• the property owner’s views which can easily be understood by contractors;
• an accurate statement of any problems found;
• a clear description of the locations of any defects;
• a list of the type(s) of repair work required; and
• a site notice consistent with the repair order, to be displayed securely in the flat.
• the repair order should be drafted without using offensive, abusive or abstract words, and
• personal opinions should be kept to a minimum, so that contractors have the scope to exercise their professional judgement.

Flat Inspection Checklist