A practical field guide · Free to use
Property Viewing Notes Template
A useful viewing note tells you what you saw, who answered a question, and what still needs checking. This free template keeps those different kinds of information visible when several homes start to blur together.
Prepare one record per home
Before the visit, add the address or your own private reference, the listing link, the date and the people attending. Write down the questions that matter to your household. Keep the same headings for every viewing so an attractive photograph or a rushed appointment does not change the comparison method halfway through.
Do not put household details into a public example or a shared link without checking who can open it. The downloadable worksheet is a blank text file. Downloading it does not submit a viewing record. Save your completed copy somewhere you control, and label revised versions if several people are adding notes.
Distinguish observation from an answer
Record an observation in specific language. For example, 'dark mark visible beside the upstairs window' records what was seen. It does not identify a cause, repair cost or survey conclusion. Photograph only where permitted, and note which room or feature the image concerns so it remains useful after the viewing.
Keep an agent's answer on a separate line: 'agent says window was repaired last year; written evidence not supplied.' Add a follow-up asking for the relevant document or clarification. An unanswered question should remain unknown. It should not become a clean bill of health because the appointment ended without enough time.
Compare homes using the same checks
Work through the twelve-check guide linked below, then return to any area you could not inspect. Mark not checked when access, weather or time prevented observation. A second viewing can address a named gap; repeating the entire first visit from memory is less useful than bringing a short list of unresolved questions.
Keep first-year costs separate from condition observations. Record buyer-entered amounts and the source of each estimate, including whether the figure covers the same period and scope as the other homes. Do not add an unknown repair as zero. If a cost cannot yet be estimated, show the uncertainty beside the comparison.
Finish with questions someone can answer
A fictional record might say: 'Loft not accessed. Ask whether a further visit can include it. Parking described as allocated; request the relevant written details.' That is a practical next step without claiming ownership rights, structural condition or safety. Those conclusions require appropriate documents and professional advice.
After the viewing, choose the few unanswered questions that would change your next action. Send factual questions through your chosen contact route, keep dated replies with the record, and update the status only when the evidence changes. Viewing Ledger remains a free recording aid. It does not replace a survey, conveyancing or your own decision.
| Observed | Mark by upstairs window; cause unknown |
|---|---|
| Reported | Agent mentions earlier repair; document not seen |
| Not checked | Loft access unavailable during viewing |
| Cost uncertainty | Repair amount not entered as £0 |
| Next question | Request repair record and access for follow-up |
Your blank worksheet
Download the text file and complete it in your own notes, or print this page. No account or purchase is required for this worksheet. Your completed notes are not submitted by this page.
- Property reference / listing link:
- Viewing date:
- Check / room:
- What was directly observed:
- What was reported, by whom and when:
- Supporting document:
- Unknown / not checked:
- Buyer-entered cost and source:
- Follow-up question:
- Reply date and updated status: