Buying guide: Property checks
What do conveyancing searches show that a property report does not?
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Type the full address with its postcode to go straight to your report options. Try .
- 65+ official sources
- Emailed within 24 hours, usually faster
- Sources and coverage gaps named
- One-off payment, no subscription
What the report looks like inside
See the full sample →
IQ Score and the factors behind it
Flood risk at the postcode point
Six ground hazards, rated for the area
Landfill, permits and incidents nearby
What homes here sold for
The energy rating, now and after upgrades
Illustrative sample · fictional address · cut from the sample report as it prints
Quick answer
Searches answer defined questions for the transaction, such as local authority matters, drainage and environmental risks. Your conveyancer selects and interprets them alongside the title and contract. A compiled desk report can surface useful records and questions earlier, but it does not provide that legal investigation, guarantee lender acceptance or replace a physical survey.
Ask what is being ordered
Request an itemised search list and ask which questions each search answers for this home. A local authority search, a drainage and water search, an environmental search and a mining search have different scopes. Availability of some related public data in a consumer report does not make the products equivalent.
Ask which search results your lender requires, their validity period, the cost including VAT where applicable, and who follows up unresolved findings. Your conveyancer should explain the reasons for additional location-specific checks.
Keep title investigation separate
Ownership, restrictions, rights and lease terms need the relevant documents and legal interpretation. A website showing a company name or a historic transaction cannot establish everything you need to know about legal ownership. Ask the conveyancer to explain matters that could affect your intended use.
For a flat, keep the lease, management information and building documents on the question list. An absence of public tribunal matches does not establish that there are no disputes or liabilities.
Choose an early report for an actual information gap
Complete (£24.99) brings available records into a human-checked report. Some inputs describe a postcode, map cell or wider area; missing sources stay limitations. Check the illustrative sample and contents before buying, especially if you already have reports covering the same questions.
How this guide was prepared
A buyer decision guide published by HouseCheckup, which sells desk reports. We distinguish source records, physical inspection and legal advice using the linked official guidance. Product descriptions refer to our current delivered scope. There is no measured savings or investment-return promise.
Verdict
Write down the question first, then choose the record or professional who can answer it. Have the conveyancer confirm searches and legal follow-up; use a desk report where its compiled information is useful to you.
Review the report for your chosen home
Complete (£24.99) brings available source records, flags and questions into a human-checked report. Some sources describe a postcode or wider area; coverage and resolution are stated. Review the contents before paying, and take inspection and legal questions to your surveyor and conveyancer.
Type the full address with its postcode to go straight to your report options. Try .
£24.99 one-off · no subscription · Human-checked and emailed to you. See a sample report · Review report options and coverage
Cancel for a full refund at any time before your report is emailed. Terms
Sources
- How to buy a home, GOV.UK
- Making an offer, GOV.UK
- Choosing a home survey, RICS
How HouseCheckup works
From search to full report in three simple steps.
- England, Wales & Scotland
Search any address
Enter an address in England, Wales and Scotland. Coverage varies by nation and source.
- Before you pay
See the IQ Score
See an initial area risk screen where enough data is available, with the checks and coverage behind the score.
- Emailed within 24 hours
Get the full report
Choose Lite (£9.99) or Complete (£24.99). The report is emailed to you within 24 hours, usually faster, with every source named and any check it could not run stated.
Frequently asked questions
Can a free flood map replace an environmental search?
Will I always need the same search pack?
Still have a question? We typically respond within 24 hours.
Ready to check a property?
Enter the address you are thinking of buying. See the available area risk data, then choose an emailed report for the property.
Type the full address with its postcode to go straight to your report options. Try .
Reports from £9.99, one-off. Compare Lite and Complete
Cancel for a full refund at any time before your report is emailed. Terms
At a glance
One-off
No subscription
Pay once for each report you buy.
Named
Sources & coverage
Every report names its sources and the checks it could not run.
GB
England, Wales & Scotland
Coverage varies by nation and source, and is stated.
£9.99
Reports from
Lite £9.99, Complete £24.99.