15+ Official-Source Checks: Where HouseCheckup Gets Its Property Intelligence

A single HouseCheckup report runs 15+ checks built on verified official sources to deliver comprehensive property intelligence for just £24.99. At HouseCheckup, we believe transparency about our data sources is essential — you should know exactly where your property information comes from and why we include it. This guide explains every major data source we use, what it tells you, and why it matters for your property decision.

Why Multiple Data Sources Matter

No single database contains everything you need to know about a property. The Land Registry can tell you who owns it and what they paid, but nothing about flood risk. The Environment Agency can tell you about flood risk, but nothing about the EPC rating. Ofcom can tell you about broadband speed, but nothing about school quality. A comprehensive property report requires combining, cross-referencing, and interpreting data from dozens of independent sources — which is exactly what HouseCheckup does.

Traditional search providers like Groundsure charge £138.90 + VAT for environmental data alone, covering just one aspect of property risk. Our £24.99 report combines environmental data with property records, energy data, local market intelligence, and much more — because we believe every buyer deserves the full picture at an affordable price.

Property and Transaction Data

HM Land Registry

The Land Registry holds the definitive register of property ownership in England and Wales. We use Land Registry data for:

• Title information: Tenure type (freehold or leasehold)
• Price paid data: Historical transaction prices for the property and nearby comparables
• House Price Index: Regional and local price trends over time

Price Paid and Comparable Sales

We analyse recent transactions within the property's postcode and wider area to provide comparable sales data. This helps you assess whether the asking price is fair relative to what similar properties have recently sold for.

Environmental and Natural Hazard Data

Environment Agency

The Environment Agency is the primary source for environmental risk data in England. We use multiple EA datasets:

• Flood Zone mapping: River and sea flood risk zones (1, 2, 3a, 3b)
• Surface water flood risk: Risk of flooding from overwhelmed drainage systems
• Reservoir flood maps: Areas at risk if a reservoir were to fail
• Historic flood outlines: Areas that have actually flooded in recorded events
• Flood defences: Location and condition of flood defence infrastructure
• Contaminated land records: Regulatory data on known contamination

British Geological Survey (BGS)

The BGS provides geological data essential for understanding subsidence, mining, and ground stability risks:

• Shrink-swell clay data: Risk of ground movement due to clay shrinkage and expansion
• Landslide susceptibility: Areas prone to natural landslides
• Geological mapping: Underlying rock and soil types
• Radon potential: Areas where radon gas may be a concern
• Mining data: Historical mining activity that may affect ground stability

Natural England

Natural England data helps identify environmental designations that affect property use and development potential:

• Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)
• Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs)
• National Nature Reserves
• Ancient woodland inventory

Coal Authority

For properties in current or former coalfield areas, Coal Authority data reveals:

• Past, present, and future coal mining activity
• Mine entry (shaft and adit) locations
• Coal mining subsidence claims
• Surface hazards related to mining

Energy and Building Data

EPC Register

The Energy Performance Certificate register provides critical energy data for properties:

• Current EPC rating: The property's energy efficiency band (A to G)
• Energy costs: Estimated annual heating, lighting, and hot water costs
• Recommendations: Suggested improvements with estimated costs and savings
• Construction details: Wall type, roof insulation, window glazing, and heating system
• Environmental impact rating: CO2 emissions relative to a typical property

DLUHC (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

Government housing data including:

• Housing stock statistics by area
• Tenure breakdown (owner-occupied, rented, social housing)
• New build completions and planning data

Planning and Local Authority Data

Local Planning Authority Records

We access planning data from local authorities across England and Wales:

• Planning applications: History of applications for the property and nearby addresses
• Planning decisions: Outcomes (approved, refused, withdrawn) and conditions
• Conservation area status: Whether the property is in a designated conservation area
• Listed building status: Whether the property is listed (Grade I, II*, or II)
• Article 4 directions: Any removal of permitted development rights
• Tree Preservation Orders: Protected trees on or near the property

Valuation Office Agency (VOA)

The VOA provides council tax banding data, which we include in our reports to help buyers understand this significant ongoing cost.

Transport and Connectivity Data

Ofcom

Ofcom's Connected Nations data provides broadband and mobile connectivity information:

• Available broadband speeds (download and upload)
• Fibre availability (FTTC, FTTP)
• Mobile coverage (4G, 5G) by network

Department for Transport / National Rail

Transport data including distance to nearest railway stations, bus routes, and major road connections.

Education and Local Services

Ofsted

Ofsted inspection ratings and school performance data for primary and secondary schools within the property's catchment area.

NHS Data

Distance to GP surgeries, hospitals, and pharmacy services.

Crime and Safety Data

Police UK / Home Office

Ward-level crime statistics including crime type breakdown, crime rate trends, and comparison to local and national averages.

Demographic and Market Data

ONS (Office for National Statistics)

Census and survey data providing area-level demographics:

• Population and household composition
• Age distribution and deprivation indices
• Employment and income data
• Housing tenure breakdown

Rental Market Data

For investors, we include rental market intelligence:

• Average rents by property type in the area
• Rental yield estimates
• Rental demand indicators

How We Combine and Present the Data

Raw data from all these sources is useless without intelligent processing. HouseCheckup's technology:

1. Aggregates: Pulls data from all relevant sources for the specific property and its location
2. Cross-references: Checks for consistency between sources and flags discrepancies
3. Analyses: Applies proprietary scoring models to assess risk levels and value indicators
4. Contextualises: Compares the property's data against local and national benchmarks
5. Presents: Delivers everything in a clear, readable report that non-experts can understand and act on

Our Commitment to Data Quality

Data quality is the foundation of our service. We ensure accuracy through:

• Source verification: We only use authoritative, primary data sources — not scraped or third-party aggregated data
• Regular updates: Data is refreshed on the schedules set by each source provider (daily, monthly, or quarterly depending on the dataset)
• Transparent sourcing: Every data point in a HouseCheckup report is attributed to its source, so you know where the information comes from
• Professional review: Our data methodology is reviewed by property professionals and data scientists

Get the Full Picture for £24.99 (Complete tier)

A HouseCheckup report for just £24.99 combines 15+ checks from verified official sources into a single, comprehensive property report. Traditional providers charge £138.90 + VAT for environmental data alone, and you'd need to visit many different websites to manually gather what our report brings together — human-checked and emailed to you. At £24.99, HouseCheckup democratises access to property data — giving every buyer the intelligence they need to make informed decisions, regardless of their budget.