Property inspection

Who this page is for

For anyone buying a flat or house in Georgia who wants to know what they are buying before they pay.

And for those renting long-term who do not want to spend their first winter fighting damp.

Our role

We arrange the lawyer and the engineer, attend the inspection and send you the result as one report, in your language.

An inspection reduces risk, but it is not a guarantee: nobody can see everything hidden inside a wall without taking it apart.

When we inspect

The inspection takes place after the price is agreed and before the earnest deposit is paid.

Inspect too early and you spend money on extra flats; too late and the deposit is paid and the argument is lost.

Sometimes we agree with the seller that the deposit depends on the result of the inspection.

Two parts

An inspection has two independent parts: legal and technical.

A perfect flat with bad documents is as risky as clean documents with damaged walls.

We run both parts in parallel, so that no time is lost.

The registry extract

The extract is the property's passport: the owner, the cadastral code, the area and any obligations on the property.

We always use a new extract requested the same day, not an old copy sent by the seller.

We check the extract again on the day of the transaction, because a change can appear on any day.

The cadastral plan

In the registry, the property comes with a plan showing the layout of rooms and boundaries.

The engineer compares the plan with reality on site: the walls, the balcony and the area.

A difference often means an unauthorised alteration or an old, uncorrected record.

Owners and co-owners

A property may have several owners, and a sale needs all of them to take part.

If the property was acquired during a marriage, the spouse's consent is sometimes needed too, even if only one spouse appears in the registry.

The lawyer checks this, and where needed we ask for consent in writing.

Inherited property

If the seller inherited the property recently, other heirs may raise a claim later.

In that case the lawyer checks the inheritance documents and deadlines.

Sometimes it is better to postpone the deal by a few months than to end up in a dispute later.

A seller acting under a power of attorney

If a representative is selling instead of the owner, we check the power of attorney separately.

We check whether it is valid, whether it gives the right to sell and whether it has been revoked.

Where possible we speak to the owner by video call, to confirm their wishes.

Mortgages, seizures and liens

The extract may show a mortgage, a seizure, a tax lien or another restriction.

Some must be lifted before the deal, others during it, by paying off the seller's debt.

The lawyer sets the order, so that your money does not go towards paying the debt without control.

An existing lease

There may be a registered or verbal lease on the property.

A tenant living in the flat may be able to stay after the purchase until the end of their contract.

So we check who lives in the flat and on what basis.

Acceptance into use

For a new building we check whether it has a building permit and whether it has been accepted into use.

In a building not accepted into use, registering ownership and connecting utilities may be difficult.

We compare the number of floors in the permit with reality, because an extra floor is a common problem.

Extensions and alterations

An enclosed balcony, merged rooms or a new floor are often not reflected in the documents.

Legalising such a change is sometimes possible, sometimes difficult or impossible.

The lawyer and the engineer assess together what this means for the price and a future sale.

Designated use

Space may be registered as residential or non-residential - for example commercial or as a hotel.

Designated use affects taxes, utility tariffs and sometimes the basis for residence.

When buying an apart-hotel unit, we check this especially carefully.

Parking and storage

A parking space or a basement storage room is often a separate property, with its own cadastral code.

If the seller includes them in the price, they must also appear in the extract and be written into your contract.

A verbal "the parking comes with the flat" often becomes a cause of dispute later.

Land category

When buying a house, the land category matters as much as the house itself.

Special restrictions apply to foreigners for agricultural land.

We check the plot boundaries, the access road and whether the house is registered together with the land.

Utility and association debts

We ask the seller for recent utility receipts and check for debts.

We ask the association whether the flat or the building has unpaid contributions or an expensive repair planned.

We write the rule for settling debts into the sale contract.

The engineer

The technical inspection is carried out by an experienced civil engineer, independent of the seller.

They go through the flat room by room, with instruments where needed: a moisture meter, a thermal camera and a tester.

We accompany the engineer and translate their comments on the spot.

Structure and cracks

Not every crack is dangerous: some are only in the plaster, others point to a structural problem.

The engineer assesses the crack's direction, width and location, and says whether further investigation is needed.

An opening in a load-bearing wall or a removed wall deserves separate attention.

Seismic resilience

Georgia is in a seismically active region, and a building's structure should take this into account.

A standard inspection gives a general assessment, not a full structural survey.

If the engineer has doubts, they propose a detailed survey separately.

Damp and mould

Damp often hides under fresh paint, and only a moisture meter reveals it.

We check north-facing walls, around windows, the bathroom and behind furniture.

Damp is less visible at a summer viewing, so at that time we check especially carefully.

The roof and the top floor

On the top floor, the state of the roof directly affects the flat.

We check for stains on the ceiling, whether the roof can be reached and how water drains.

Roof repairs are often the association's decision, and we find this out in advance.

The ground floor and basement

On the ground floor and in basements, damp from the ground and drainage problems are common.

We check under the floor, the lower part of the walls and the basement ventilation.

Security is a separate question: street-facing windows and the entrance.

Plumbing and drainage

We check water pressure, hot water and the pipe material where it is visible.

Old metal pipes are often corroded inside, and this shows in the pressure.

In the drainage we watch for smells, slow draining and signs of leaks at the neighbour below.

Wiring

Old aluminium wiring often cannot handle the load of modern appliances.

We check the fuse board, the circuit breakers, the earthing and the state of the sockets.

If the wiring is old, we put a full rewire into the renovation budget.

Gas and the boiler

The condition of the gas boiler and pipes is a safety matter.

We check the boiler's age, the flue, ventilation and any smell of gas.

Where needed, the gas system is checked by a licensed specialist.

Heating and insulation

We check the radiators, their number relative to room sizes and the insulation of outside walls.

In winter a thermal camera shows where heat escapes.

This directly affects winter costs, and we note it separately in the report.

Windows and doors

The state of the windows determines warmth, noise and security all at once.

We check the frames, the glazing units, the locks and damp around the windows.

We assess the front door and its lock separately.

Sound insulation

Noise often only becomes clear after you start living there.

We listen to the street, the neighbours and the lift, in the evening where possible.

Thin internal walls are common in new blocks, and we check this at the viewing.

Ventilation

Kitchen and bathroom ventilation is the first defence against damp and mould.

We check whether the ventilation duct works and has not been closed off during renovation.

This is especially important in a bathroom without a window.

The lift and stairwell

The state of the stairwell and lift shows how well the building is managed.

We check whether the lift works, when it was serviced and who pays for it.

A run-down stairwell often means a large shared expense lies ahead.

Features of new construction

New buildings often have settling cracks, finishing defects and unfinished shared areas.

We check what obligation the developer has to fix defects, and for how long.

We draw up a list of defects before handover, so that the developer fixes them.

Features of older buildings

In Soviet blocks the pipes, wiring and roof are often old, even if the flat has a new renovation.

Historic buildings may have additional restrictions on renovation.

We always check the systems of an older building in more detail.

A house with land

In a house we also check the foundations, drainage on the plot and the fence.

We find out the water source, the type of sewerage and the access road in winter.

In a mountain village, the stability of the electricity supply and the internet often need checking separately.

A check before renting

When renting, a full inspection is often unnecessary, but a light version is worth it.

We check the owner against the registry, damp, the gas boiler, the fuse board and the water.

The result goes into the contract: what the owner fixes before you move in.

Remote inspection

If you are abroad, the inspection still takes place on site, and you join by video call.

The engineer explains to the camera what they see and answers questions directly.

We send you the recording and photos together with the report.

The report

The report is in your language, with photos and a description of each issue.

We divide issues into three groups: urgent, needed soon and cosmetic.

For urgent issues we ask a tradesperson for an estimate, so that the budget is realistic.

Using the report to negotiate

The report is the strongest argument in negotiating the price.

Sometimes the seller lowers the price, sometimes they fix the defect before the deal.

Which option is better depends on the type of defect, and we decide this together.

When the result is bad

Sometimes, after an inspection, the right decision is to walk away from the flat.

That cost is not wasted: it saves you from a much larger loss.

In that case we start the search again, now with new knowledge.

Independence

You pay the engineer and the lawyer, not the seller.

A seller's offer of "their own inspection" does not represent your interests.

We take no commission from the seller, and we do not dress up the result.

A valuation for the bank

A valuation for a bank mortgage sets the property's value, not its technical condition.

It is carried out by a valuer recognised by the bank.

A valuation does not replace our inspection, and vice versa.

Timing

The legal check is often done within a few days, if the documents are ready.

The technical inspection takes one visit, and the report is often ready within a few days.

In complex cases - inheritance, extensions, seizures - it takes longer.

Common mistakes

An inspection by a "friendly engineer" brought by the seller, who protects the seller's interests.

An old extract sent by the seller.

Trusting a fresh renovation without looking underneath it.

What we need from you

The property's address or cadastral code and the seller's contact details.

What you are buying for: to live in, to let, or to renovate and sell.

Whether you want to attend the inspection on site or by video call.

Cost

The lawyer's and engineer's services are separate lines, and we send you their terms in advance.

Any additional survey - for example a structural survey - happens only with your approval.

Our coordination is agreed in advance, and we add nothing to partners' prices.