HouseCheckup IQ Score: How We Rate Every UK Property

The HouseCheckup IQ Score synthesises data from over 40 authoritative sources into a single 0-100 rating that reflects a property's overall quality, risk profile, and investment potential. At HouseCheckup, we built the IQ Score because property data is complex and buyers need a quick, reliable way to compare properties and identify potential issues, all included in our comprehensive £24.99 report. This guide explains our methodology so you can understand exactly what your score means.

What Is the IQ Score?

The IQ Score is a proprietary rating from 0 to 100 that assesses a UK property across multiple dimensions. Think of it as a health check for a property: a single number that summarises whether the property is low-risk and well-positioned, or whether there are factors that warrant further investigation.

The score is not a valuation or a survey. It doesn't tell you what a property is worth or identify structural defects. Instead, it aggregates publicly available data to give you an informed starting point for your property research.

The Five Scoring Pillars

The IQ Score is built on five equally important pillars, each contributing up to 20 points to the overall score:

1. Environmental Risk (0-20 points)

This pillar assesses the property's exposure to natural and environmental hazards:

• Flood risk: River, surface water, and coastal flooding probability
• Ground stability: Subsidence risk from shrink-swell clay, dissolution, landslip, and compressible ground
• Radon: Probability of elevated radon levels
• Mining: Historical coal or other mining activity beneath the property
• Contaminated land: Proximity to known contaminated sites

A property in Flood Zone 1, on stable ground, with low radon and no mining history scores highly. A property in Flood Zone 3 on shrink-swell clay scores lower.

2. Energy and Efficiency (0-20 points)

Based on the property's Energy Performance Certificate data:

• Current EPC rating: A-rated properties score highest; G-rated score lowest
• Energy cost estimates: Lower running costs improve the score
• Improvement potential: Properties with easy, cost-effective improvement pathways score slightly higher
• Insulation quality: Wall, roof, and floor insulation levels
• Heating system: Efficient, modern systems score higher

3. Planning and Development (0-20 points)

This pillar evaluates the planning context:

• Planning history: Approved applications suggest a well-maintained, improved property
• Nearby development: Major planned developments that could affect the property (positively or negatively)
• Conservation status: Whether the property is listed, in a conservation area, or in an AONB
• Permitted development potential: Whether PD rights are available for extensions
• Article 4 restrictions: Any additional planning restrictions

4. Location and Amenities (0-20 points)

Assessing the property's surroundings:

• Transport links: Proximity to rail stations, bus routes, and major roads
• Schools: Distance to and quality of nearby schools
• Healthcare: Distance to GP surgeries and hospitals
• Shopping and amenities: Local convenience and retail provision
• Green space: Access to parks, countryside, and recreational areas
• Crime rates: Local crime statistics relative to the regional average

5. Market Position (0-20 points)

Evaluating the property's position within its local market:

• Price relative to area average: Properties priced below local averages may offer better value
• Historic price trends: Areas with consistent growth score higher
• Rental demand: Strong rental markets indicate desirable locations
• Council tax band: Relative to property value and local averages
• Tenure type: Freehold generally scores higher than leasehold (due to fewer ongoing costs and restrictions)

How Scores Are Calculated

Each data point within a pillar is scored on a standardised scale and weighted according to its importance. The weighting reflects:

• Financial impact: Factors with larger potential financial consequences (like flood risk) carry more weight
• Frequency of occurrence: Common issues are weighted to differentiate meaningfully between properties
• Buyer priorities: Based on survey data about what matters most to UK property buyers

The five pillar scores are then summed to produce the overall IQ Score out of 100.

Interpreting Your Score

What the IQ Score Is Not

It's important to understand the score's limitations:

• Not a valuation: The score doesn't tell you what the property is worth or whether it's fairly priced
• Not a structural survey: It can't identify physical defects, damp, or structural problems
• Not legal advice: It doesn't replace conveyancing searches or professional legal guidance
• Not a guarantee: A high score doesn't guarantee the property is problem-free, and a low score doesn't mean you shouldn't buy
• Snapshot in time: Data is current at the time of report generation but may change

How to Use the Score

The IQ Score is most valuable as a:

• Screening tool: Quickly compare multiple properties you're considering
• Red flag identifier: Low scores in specific pillars highlight areas for further investigation
• Conversation starter: Use pillar breakdowns to ask informed questions of estate agents, solicitors, and surveyors
• Negotiation support: Identified risks can support price negotiations

Why We Built the IQ Score

The UK property market has traditionally been data-poor for buyers. Sellers and agents have access to information that buyers often discover too late, after paying for surveys and legal work on unsuitable properties. The IQ Score democratises access to this data, giving every buyer a fast, affordable way to understand what they're considering.

Average UK buyers view 10-15 properties before purchasing. At £250+ per traditional search pack, researching even half of those would cost thousands. At £24.99 per report, HouseCheckup makes it practical to research every property on your shortlist.

The Data Behind the Score

Every IQ Score in a HouseCheckup report is backed by detailed breakdowns for each pillar, showing exactly which data points contributed to the score and why. You get the headline number for quick comparison, plus the detail for informed decision-making. All for £24.99 (Complete tier), a fraction of the cost of traditional property searches, available for any address in England and Wales and human-checked before it is emailed to you.