Apartment viewing checklist — what to inspect before signing

An apartment that looks great in photos can hide nasty surprises in person. A successful viewing helps you avoid months of frustration (mold, noisy neighbors, broken heating) or thousands of dollars in problems you'll be charged for when moving out.

This checklist covers everything you should inspect — from the building exterior down to the bedroom switches. Plan 30-45 minutes for a really useful visit.

Before the viewing — 10 minutes of prep

• 📍 Check the exact address on Google Maps Street View — does the facade match the listing photos?
• 🚇 Calculate the commute time to your work/school at rush hour (Google Maps with "depart at" option)
• 🏘️ Look at the neighborhood on Google Earth 3D: shops, parks, schools, general vibe
• 💵 Compare the asking price with neighborhood market on Coloka and other platforms
• 🔎 Search the landlord's name on Google + "complaint" or "TAL"
• 📋 Prepare your list of questions (see dedicated section below)
• 📱 Charge your phone to 100 % — you'll be taking lots of photos and notes

1. Outside (5 min) — the building speaks

Don't rush inside. The exterior tells you about overall maintenance of the property.

• 🏠 Facade: cracked bricks? Damaged joints? Tilting balcony?
• 🪟 Windows: double pane? Rotting frames?
• 🌳 Yard or alley: clean? Garbage? Bad smells?
• 🚪 Main entrance: secured (intercom, code)? Mailboxes in good shape?
• 🅿️ Parking: reserved spot? Street with permit? Hourly rate?
• 🚮 Garbage bins: where are they? Filthy? Rodent activity?
• 🛣️ Traffic and noise: noise level at exterior windows (highway, train, bar)?
• 👥 Surroundings: unpleasant businesses (late-night bar, gas station) within 100 m?

2. Lobby and common areas (3 min)

• 🧹 Cleanliness of lobby, stairs, elevator
• 💡 Lighting everywhere (hallways, stairs, basement)
• 🔒 Security: common doors locked, cameras, working intercom
• 🚪 Elevator: recent? Last inspection date (mandatory display)?
• 🚨 Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in common areas?
• 📦 Bike room? Common laundry?

3. Kitchen (5 min) — the heart of daily life

• 🚰 Water pressure: open the tap full, observe the flow (weak = old plumbing)
• 🌡️ Hot water: how many seconds before it arrives?
• 🚽 Drainage: fill the sink and watch the draining speed
• 🧊 Fridge: open, listen (silent?), check inside (clean?)
• 🔥 Stove: working? Burners clean? Oven powers on?
• 💨 Range hood: present? When on, does it actually suck air?
• 🪟 Kitchen window: opens? Enough natural light?
• 🔌 Outlets: enough? Near the counter? With breaker?
• 🐜 Pest signs: droppings, traces, visible traps?
• 🗄️ Storage: number of cabinets, drawers in good shape?

4. Bathroom (5 min) — often the worst

• 🚿 Shower/tub: hot/cold water pressure, drain speed
• 🌡️ Mixer: stable temperature? Sudden swings when someone flushes?
• 🚽 Toilet: flush — does it refill normally? Leak at the base?
• 🦠 Mold: check ceiling, tile grout, behind the toilet
• 💧 Silicone seals: black, peeling, recently redone?
• 💨 Ventilation fan: present and working (test: turn on and hold paper in front)?
• 🪟 Window or direct ventilation? (essential to avoid humidity)
• 🚰 Sink: faucet, drain, p-trap watertight?

5. Living room and bedrooms (10 min)

• 📐 Measure the rooms with your phone's laser meter (LiDAR on iPhone) or tape — verify your furniture fits
• 🪟 Windows: do all open? Working locks? Screens?
• ☀️ Orientation and light: sunlit rooms? At what time does the sun enter?
• 🎨 Walls: recent paint? Holes, cracks?
• 🪟 Ceiling: humidity stains? Cracks? Mold in a corner?
• 🌫️ Floor: level (drop a marble — does it roll?)? Loose boards?
• 🔌 Outlets: count them in each room, test a few
• 📡 Internet/cable: Ethernet/coax jacks present?
• 🚪 Doors: close properly? Handles in good shape?
• 🗄️ Closets: number, size, shelves/rods included?
• 🌡️ Radiators/heaters: one per room? Ask to turn them on (even in summer)

6. "Invisible" tests nobody runs (5 min)

These quick tests reveal problems that photos hide:

• 👃 Smell test: when you walk in, what's the smell? Humidity, smoke, animals, bleach (used to mask)?
• 👂 Silence test: 30 seconds of total silence — can you hear neighbors, the street, plumbing?
• 🚿 Simultaneous flow test: shower + sink + toilet flush at the same time. If pressure drops sharply, plumbing is undersized
• 📶 Cellular signal test: how many bars in each room?
• 🌡️ Temperature test: touch the exterior walls and floor — cold?
• 🪟 Window test: hold your hand near a closed window. Feel a draft?
• 🚪 Lock test: open and close every lock. Hard = worn lock or warped frame
• 🔆 Breaker test: ask to see the electrical panel. Old ceramic fuses? Aluminum wiring? (red flag)

7. Basement and common areas (3 min)

Many tenants forget to ask to see the basement. Yet that's where you diagnose the building:

• 💧 Basement humidity: musty smell, traces on walls, dehumidifier running?
• 🌡️ Central heating system: age, condition (oil furnace = expensive; gas/electric = better)
• 💧 Hot water tank: age (lifespan 10-12 years), rust traces at the base?
• 🐀 Visible rodent traps? If yes, ask why
• 📦 Storage locker: included in rent? Dry?
• 🧺 Laundry: machines in good shape? Per-load price?

8. The 15 questions to ask the landlord

1. 💵 Does the listed price include heating, hot water, electricity?
2. 📊 How much did the previous tenant pay monthly for heating and electricity? (Hydro-Québec average)
3. 📜 What type of lease? Duration? Desired start date?
4. 🏗️ Is the unit under clause F? (building < 5 years = free-rent exemption)
5. 🛠️ What work was done in the past 2 years? (paint doesn't count — roof, windows, plumbing do)
6. 👶 Why is the previous tenant leaving? (tenure also reveals a lot)
7. 🐕 Pets allowed? (lease clause — without a written clause, prohibition isn't valid)
8. 🚭 Smoking policy?
9. 📅 How do inspections, maintenance, and emergency repairs work?
10. 🛏️ Has there been any bedbug case in the building? (mandatory disclosure in Quebec)
11. 🏘️ How many units are in the building? (and how many current tenants)
12. 🅿️ Parking: included, rentable, on-street? Permit needed?
13. 📦 Preferred payment method? First month + non-valid deposits requested?
14. 📋 What documents do you require for the application? (legal limits — see our tenant guide)
15. 🔄 Will you accept a follow-up viewing 1 month before move-in?

9. Immediate red flags — leave without signing

1. 🚩 The landlord pressures you to sign on the spot "because 5 others are interested"
2. 🚩 They refuse to give you 24-48 h to think
3. 🚩 They demand a "holding deposit" before lease signing
4. 🚩 They refuse to show you the basement or some rooms
5. 🚩 They request excessive documents (SIN, full bank statements, post-dated checks)
6. 🚩 The proposed lease is not the official TAL form
7. 🚩 You smell a strong odor of bleach or perfume (often masks humidity or smoke)
8. 🚩 You see mold traces on the ceiling or in corners
9. 🚩 The thermostat is broken or locked (impossible to test heating)
10. 🚩 Visible insect/rodent traps everywhere
11. 🚩 They refuse to give their full identity (name, surname, ID)
12. 🚩 They aren't the owner and have no written mandate from the real one

10. After the viewing — decide with a clear head

• 📸 Review your photos and notes at a nearby café
• 🌙 Walk by at night in front of the building (massive day/night difference in some neighborhoods)
• 👥 Cross paths with neighbors in the street or yard, ask about the vibe
• 🔎 Search the building's name on Google + Reddit r/Montreal for reviews
• 📊 Compare with other viewings (at least 3 if possible)
• 💭 Sleep on it — a crush is best evaluated the next morning

11. Bonus tip: the pre-virtual viewing

Before even traveling, ask the landlord for a live video tour (FaceTime, WhatsApp Video, Zoom). 10 minutes that save you 1h of transport if you don't like the apartment. And that filter out 90% of scams (see our anti-scam guide).

How Coloka simplifies viewings

• ✅ Verified listings: fewer scams, more useful viewings
• ✅ High-quality photos required: minimum 8 photos, including each room
• ✅ Built-in video viewing in messaging (without sharing your number)
• ✅ Visit calendar: book an appointment in one click
• ✅ Ratings and reviews on every verified landlord/broker
• ✅ Checklist as PDF (feature in development — soon downloadable from the app)

Related resources

• Complete tenant's guide to Quebec
• Avoid rental scams in Quebec
• Rent increase 2026 — calculate and challenge
• Finding a roommate in Montreal — student guide
• Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL)
• RCLALQ — housing committees

---

Final tip: print this checklist double-sided on two pages and bring it to every viewing. Tick boxes as you go — you'll look professional and the landlord will know they're dealing with a serious tenant. It's also written proof of the initial state of the place for your file.

Read next