Property inspection checklist for Nigeria: what to check before you pay
The photos were beautiful. The agent was sweet. Then you moved in and found out the borehole water is brown, the bathroom has no pressure and the street becomes a river every July. A good inspection would have caught all of it. Use this property inspection checklist the next time you view a flat, a house or a plot in Nigeria.
Go in daylight. Take your phone fully charged, a small torch, and if possible, one friend who notices things. Do not rush. A real agent will give you time.
Water: open every tap
Open every tap and flush every toilet. Check pressure, colour and smell. Ask where the water comes from: public supply, borehole or a water vendor. If there is a borehole, ask if there is treatment, because borehole water in some areas is hard, salty or rusty.
Look at the overhead tank and pumping machine. Ask who pays to fix the pump when it breaks. Check under sinks for leaks and look at ceilings for water stains. Brown patches on the ceiling mean something has been leaking upstairs.
Power: ask the right questions
Ask which tariff band the area is on with the electricity distribution company, then ask neighbours how many hours of light they really get, because the two do not always agree. Check if the flat has its own prepaid meter or shares one. Shared meters cause endless fights.
Flip switches and test sockets with your phone charger. Look at the distribution board for burnt marks. Ask about generator arrangements: is there a central generator, at what hours, and how is diesel shared? If you plan to install solar or an inverter, ask if the landlord allows it and where panels can go.
Drainage, flooding and the rainy season road
This is the one most people forget. Look at the drains in front of the house. Are they open, clear and connected to something, or full of dirt and plastic? Look for water marks on fences and walls outside. A line of stain a few feet up the fence tells a story the agent will not.
Ask neighbours and shop owners what happens when it rains heavily. Ask about the access road too. A road that is fine in January may be impossible for a small car in July. If you can, visit once after a heavy rain. It is the best inspection you will ever do.
The building itself
Look for cracks in walls, especially long diagonal cracks near windows and doors. Check that windows open, close and lock, and that doors are solid. Look for damp and mould in corners and wardrobes. Smell the rooms. Damp has a smell you will learn quickly.
Check the kitchen cabinets, the toilet seats and the shower heads. Small things, yes, but they tell you how well the place is maintained. Ask when it was last painted and who handles repairs during your tenancy.
Neighbours, noise and security
Walk around the street. Is there a church, mosque, beer parlour or event centre close by? None of these is bad, but you should know what your Sunday morning and Friday night will sound like.
Ask about security: estate gate, security men, street lights, and any recent burglaries. Ask how other tenants find the landlord. If you can, have a two-minute chat with a current tenant. People talk when the agent steps away.
Check the distance to your work, your children's school and the nearest market at the times you will actually travel. Lagos traffic at 7 a.m. is a different city from Lagos at 2 p.m.
Documents and the person you are dealing with
For a rental, ask who the landlord is and how the agent is linked to them. Ask for the draft tenancy agreement. For a purchase, ask for copies of the title documents and survey plan so your lawyer can run checks. Confirm that the name on the documents matches the name on the account you will pay into.
Never pay a deposit to 'hold' a place you have not inspected. Abeg, no matter how sweet the deal sounds.
Take photos and short videos of everything during the visit, and write notes the same day. When you compare three places a week later, you will thank yourself.
To start your shortlist, browse homes on Xavorian, where every lister is verified with ID, liveness and a bank-name match before the listing ever reaches you.