Monsoon-proofing your flat check: 9 things to verify before July

Most flat viewings happen between January and May — the dry season. You sign a lease in April, move in, and by July you're dealing with a backed-up drain, a seeping bedroom wall, and a window that leaks whenever the rain comes horizontally.

The problem isn't that these issues didn't exist in April. It's that they weren't visible then, or you didn't know what to look for.

Here's what to check before July.

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1. The drain flow rate in both bathrooms

Fill the floor or basin area and time how long it takes to drain. Under two minutes is normal. Three to four minutes means a partial blockage. Over four minutes means it will almost certainly back up in heavy rain, when building drainage systems are under load.

This test takes two minutes and costs nothing. Do it in every bathroom before you sign.

2. The external drainage outlets

Look for the drainpipes running down the external walls of the building. Are they intact? Do they terminate at a proper drain or do they discharge somewhere that will create pooling? A broken external drainpipe will funnel water against the building wall during heavy rain — straight to the flat's walls.

This is particularly worth checking for ground-floor and first-floor flats.

3. Window seals and frames

Close every window and look at the seal between the window frame and the wall. Gaps, deteriorated sealant, or frames that are visibly warped suggest water will enter around the frame during horizontal rain. In Gurgaon's monsoon, this is common.

Open and close every window. A window that doesn't close flush won't close watertight.

4. The northwest-facing walls with a moisture meter

Northwest is the direction most driving rain comes from during Delhi's monsoon. A moisture reading above 25% on these walls — especially at the floor junction, behind furniture, and at the corners — indicates existing moisture that will worsen with monsoon rain.

If you're doing a self-check without a moisture meter, at least push on these walls firmly — any soft or slightly spongy feel to the plaster is a sign of water damage.

5. The terrace condition (for top-floor flats)

If you're in a top-floor flat, ask to see the terrace or at least find out when the terrace waterproofing was last done. In most buildings, the answer will be "a few years ago" — which is fine if it was done properly. If the answer is "I'm not sure" or "the RWA handles it," ask the watchman.

Look for cracks in the terrace floor finish, visible repair patches, or pooling areas where water collects rather than draining off.

6. The bathroom ceiling in top-floor and second-to-top-floor flats

This is where terrace waterproofing failures show up first. Any discolouration, previous watermarks, or signs of recent repair work on the bathroom ceiling should be investigated before signing.

7. The area around window ACs or split AC penetrations

Wherever an AC pipe or cable passes through the wall is a potential water entry point if not properly sealed. In buildings with split ACs, check the wall penetrations — particularly in older buildings where these were added later without proper waterproofing.

8. The common area drainage

Look at the building entrance, the driveway, and the parking area. Does the design allow water to drain away from the building? Low-lying driveways, basement parking with inadequate drainage, and entrance areas below street level are all monsoon risks that affect the whole building.

9. Ask specifically about monsoon issues

Talk to the watchman or any current or previous residents. "Any flooding or water issues in monsoon?" is a direct question that gets honest answers more often than you'd expect. Watchmen especially tend to be forthright about this — they deal with the consequences every year.

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What to do with what you find

If you find one or two of these issues, document them and raise them with the landlord before signing. Most are fixable, and most landlords will address pre-move-in issues they can't deny.

If you find three or more of these issues in the same property — especially if they cluster around the same wall or drain system — it's a sign of structural neglect that a few targeted fixes won't resolve. That's a property where you should either negotiate a significant rent reduction or move on to the next one.

The best time to negotiate monsoon-related issues is before July, before you've moved in, and before you're dealing with the problem yourself while rain is coming through your bedroom wall.

Anil V. is a Parakh inspector and former site supervisor with expertise in construction quality assessment.