Guides for home buyers
The checks worth making before you buy, in plain words, with where to find the answer for one home.
How to check a home’s flood risk before you buy
How to check flood risk from rivers, the sea, surface water and groundwater in England and Wales, what the risk bands mean and what to ask before you buy.
How to read an energy performance certificate (EPC)
What an EPC tells you about a home: the A to G rating, the potential rating, running costs and recommendations, how long it lasts and where to find one.
What to check before buying a leasehold home
The checks that matter on a leasehold flat or house: years left on the lease, ground rent, service charge, the management company and the lease terms.
Conservation areas, Article 4 and listed buildings explained
What conservation areas, Article 4 directions and listed building status mean for extensions, windows and demolition, and how to check with the council.
Is the home in a coal mining area, and does it matter?
What coal mining reporting areas and development high risk areas mean, what a coal mining search shows and what to do if a home is in a former coalfield.
How to read crime figures for an area before you move
What police recorded crime figures and rates per 1,000 residents can and cannot tell you about an area, and why busy centres often show high rates.
School distance is not a catchment: how places work
How school admissions work in England and Wales, how councils measure distance, why living close does not guarantee a place and how to read inspections.
How to check noise and air quality near a home
How to check road, rail and aircraft noise and air pollution near a home in England and Wales using official maps, and what to look for when you visit.
How to check broadband and mobile signal before you move
How to check broadband speeds and mobile coverage at an address with Ofcom’s checker, what superfast, ultrafast and gigabit mean and what to ask.
How sold house prices and estimates work
Where sold house prices come from, why recent sales take time to appear, how the UK House Price Index works and why an estimate is never a valuation.