What should I check before buying a Nordic spa?

In a Nordic spa, the saunas, pools and boilers carry much of the upkeep, and the land beneath them carries much of the risk. A general spa checklist will miss a lot here. Walk the site with a person who knows heating and water systems, and take notes as you go.

Equipment and water systems

Ask for the age, make and service history of each sauna, steam room, pool, boiler and pump. Ask when each was last replaced and what failed. Water treatment deserves its own look: ask who maintains it, how it is tested and what records exist. Request a list of repairs the seller has put off. Those become your costs on day one.

Land, lease and access

Confirm whether the land is owned or leased, and read the lease for its length, renewal terms and any consent needed to transfer it. Ask how guests reach the site in winter and who clears the snow. Poor access in a hard season can quietly cut the business. Your lawyer should review title, the lease and any shared access.

Seasons, brand and permits

Ask how the business moves through the year and what the owner does in the slow months. Find out which equipment, name, website, social accounts and supplier arrangements transfer, and which belong to someone else. Ask your lawyer or the local authority which permits apply to the site and whether anything must change when ownership does.