Home inspections are not exactly an expensive service but obviously it’s an additional cost that you may try to avoid when moving to your new home.

Obviously, if you’re buying, then a home inspection is indeed something that you shouldn’t skip because you might regret it later. There is nothing worse than finding that you need to redo the wiring or piping just after buying your new house.

But if you are just renting, does it make any sense to have a home inspection?

Well, the answer is yes, it certainly does.

It is unlikely that you will be required to repair existing fixtures such as piping or electricity because this is clearly the landlord’s responsibility. Structure, roof and other stuff are also for the landlord to worry about. But, it is the tenant’s responsibility to return the house at the end of the contract as it was at the beginning. Question is, who really knows how it was at that date?

So, yes, make sure you ask for an inspection to document the state of repair of the property at the start date. Painting, electric fixtures, bathrooms, floors, appliances, are all issues that you might be required to replace or pay for when you leave the property, so make sure you have a professional testimony from a chartered surveyor. For further information, please call 213 114 400 or visit www.cbre.pt