Some key maintenance inspection issues for the outside of your house:

Chimney
Is it leaning, or are there many damaged bricks? If so, it may be dangerous. Bricks may need replacing; it may need repointing or even rebuilding.
 
Flashings
This is the lead sheeting around chimney stacks and wherever your roof and brickwork meet. They prevent water getting in at the edge of slates or tiles. Have they slipped or are they missing?
 
Tiles or slates
Are there any slipped, missing or broken tiles or slates? If so, they need to be replaced or put back in place.
 
Roof timbers
Does the roof appear to sag? If so, one or more roof timbers may need replacing or strengthening.
 
Gutters and drainpipes
Are they leaking, damaged or overflowing? Even a small leak will damage bricks, rot wood and cause damp if it is not quickly repaired.
 
Bricks and mortar joints
Are brick faces or the mortar joints between bricks eroded or crumbling? Poor brickwork may allow water to penetrate.
 
Cracks in the walls
If cracks suddenly appear in mortar joints or bricks or become much worse, get advice or ask a surveyor or structural engineer to have a look.
 
Timber doors
Wood will rot if it is not properly protected with paint or stain. Check whether the paint is cracked, loose or peeling. Ensure glazing is watertight and secure. Also ensure all locks work as intended.
 

Some key maintenance inspection issues for the inside of your house:

Damp proof course
Most houses have a waterproof layer to stop rising damp.. Make sure that earth and paving are kept six inches below this, or your house may get damp.
 
Timber floors
Are parts of the ground floor more springy or bouncy, especially nearer walls? This may mean rotten joist ends and some joists may need replacing.
 
Floorboards
Are there floorboards with areas of tiny holes in them? This may mean the presence of woodworm and treatment may be needed. Are there any loose or broken floorboards?
 
Skirting boards
Rotting skirting boards on the ground floor may indicate rising damp or rot spreading from floor timbers. Woodworm may also affect skirtings.
 
Electrics
Do switches spark or crackle when turned on or off? Are there any burn marks on sockets? Are any sockets, switches or light fittings loose, broken or cracked? Are all cables and plugs wired securely without any cracks, splits or coloured wires visible? Do fuses blow or light bulbs only last a very short time?
 
Plumbing
Are taps dripping or supply or waste pipes leaking? Repairs at an early stage could be quite cheap but, if left, faults could develop which will be expensive to put right. What may appear to be a leaking cold water pipe may be no more than condensation. Dry out and warm the wet area of the pipe. If there is a leak, water should re-appear immediately.
 
Stairs and handrails
Are there any loose or broken steps and are all handrails, bannister rails and spindles fixed securely?
 
Internal doors
Are all hinges secured tightly to the door frame and door? Do they close without binding and do they keep out draughts? Do they require easing to allow correct operation?
 
Plasterwork
Areas where wallpaper keeps coming off or where there is crumbling plaster may indicate dampness. Long straight cracks parallel to external walls in ceilings, or diagonal cracks to walls which start in a top corner, may indicate a structural problem.