Before buying a home, you should always check the ownership information, the seller’s questionnaire and list of items, documents about maintenance and renovations, permit information, the energy label and recurring costs. You will need additional documents for an apartment, leasehold (erfpacht) or specific risks.
A large sales file is no proof that everything is in order. Compare the documents with each other, with the listing and with what you see during the viewing. If anything is missing or the documents contradict each other, ask for a written explanation and decide whether further investigation is needed.
Ownership and legal information
Start with the deed of ownership or deed of transfer and the cadastral information. These allow you to check what is legally being sold. Are the garden, storage room, garage and parking space actually part of the property? Do the plot boundaries match how the land is being used? The cadastral map shows the approximate location, not exact measurements.
Also look for provisions concerning rights of way, shared land, pipes and cables, rights of superficies, leasehold, perpetual clauses and other restrictions on use. A brief cadastral summary may flag a restriction, but its exact meaning is often set out in the full deed or an older deed referred to in it.
Further investigation is needed if a boundary on the map differs from a fence or driveway, if other people use part of the land or if a provision is difficult to understand. Ask a civil-law notary, buying agent or property lawyer to explain the relevant deed. If necessary, also check the Omgevingsloket and information from the municipality for government rules and public-law restrictions.
Seller’s questionnaire and list of items
In the questionnaire, the seller states what they know about the home. It may include information about leaks, cracks, roof maintenance, installations, renovations, nuisance, asbestos and soil issues.
Pay particular attention to answers that provide little certainty. Examples include blank fields, ‘not known’, a recent repair without an explanation or an answer that does not match what you saw during the viewing. A negative answer is not a technical guarantee: the seller can only disclose what they know.
The list of items shows what will stay, what the seller will take and what is offered for you to buy separately. Check items such as kitchen appliances, lighting, sun blinds, EV charging facilities, solar panels and parts of the garden. Do not rely solely on a verbal promise. Make sure the final agreements match the list and the purchase agreement.
Maintenance and renovations
Invoices, warranties, maintenance reports, installation details, building plans and previous inspections show what work has been done to the home. Check when the work was carried out, which company did it and whether warranties or maintenance contracts can be transferred.
These documents do not automatically prove that the work was completed properly or in accordance with the rules. Compare them with the home itself. Does an invoice say that the roof was replaced, but you can see damp patches? Is an extension shown on the plans, but does the finished structure differ? If so, ask more questions.
A building inspection is advisable if there is visible deferred maintenance, signs of damp or cracking, old installations, structural alterations or uncertainty about the roof, external walls, window frames or foundations. A standard inspection is usually visual. Suspected foundation problems, asbestos, soil contamination or hidden issues with pipes or cables may require a specialist investigation.
Permits and registered use
For renovations, check whether the plans, permits, notifications and actual layout are consistent. Pay particular attention to an extension, dormer window, rooftop extension, outbuilding, removed load-bearing wall, subdivision of the home, or an attic or basement being offered as living space.
In the BAG Viewer, you can check details including the year of construction, designated use and registered usable floor area. Treat this as an administrative check, not as proof that every renovation was permitted or that every room may legally be used as living space.
The Omgevingsloket shows current rules and plans and includes a permit check. For older permits and building plans, you may need to consult the municipal building archive. Missing documents do not necessarily mean that a renovation is illegal: the rules may differ depending on the type of work, location and date of completion. If in doubt, ask the municipality which permit documents are available or have the situation assessed.
Energy label
Do not check only the label rating. Also look at the address, inspection date, expiry date and the home’s characteristics on which the label is based. The registered label in EP-Online is decisive, and an energy label is generally valid for ten years.
The label shows a calculated energy performance and possible improvements. It does not predict your future energy bill: residents’ behaviour, indoor temperature and household appliances also affect this. Ask for an explanation if the home was renovated after the label inspection or if the visible insulation and installations do not appear to match the label.
Taxes, charges and fixed contributions
Ask for the most recent assessments and statements for costs such as OZB property tax, sewerage charges, waste collection charges and water authority taxes. Also check for any private contributions towards a shared road, car park, pump, green space or other jointly owned property.
Not every charge stays the same, and some amounts depend on the household. Treat previous assessments as an indication. The public WOZ value and property characteristics can help with a general check, but they do not provide a complete overview of your future housing costs.
Additional documents for specific situations
Some documents are only needed for certain homes:
- Apartment: deed of division, regulations, meeting minutes, annual accounts, budget, VvE contribution and long-term maintenance plan — see how to check the VvE’s documents and finances.
- Leasehold: leasehold conditions, ground rent, term and the dates when the ground rent or conditions may change — see how to check the leasehold conditions and ground rent.
- Solar panels or installations: purchase, lease or rental contracts and transfer conditions.
- Specific structural risks: foundation investigations, asbestos surveys or specialist reports.
- Soil or former commercial use: soil investigations, remediation decisions and registered restrictions on use.
- Listed building or protected area: designation decisions, maintenance conditions and renovation rules.
- Rental or use by others: tenancy agreements, use agreements and arrangements concerning access or parking.
A soil investigation or asbestos survey is not standard for every purchase. Historical use, year of construction, registered restrictions and warning signs in the documents determine whether further investigation is advisable.
What should you check before making an offer?
Before making an offer, try to review at least the documents that may affect the value, permitted use, monthly costs or major repair costs. These include the seller’s questionnaire, list of items, ownership information, important deeds, the energy label and any available documents about renovations and maintenance.
Ask questions in writing if information is missing or contradictory. If an essential risk cannot yet be assessed, you can decide not to make an offer, factor the risk into your price or include an appropriate condition in your offer.
Before signing the purchase agreement at the latest, check that the answers and agreements have been recorded correctly and that the correct versions of relevant documents have been included as attachments. A general note stating that documents will follow later does not automatically protect you against every risk.
