House buying guides for England: what to check before you view
Short, practical guides for people buying a home in England who want to check a property before they book a viewing. They cover what to look up from the listing and public records, flood risk and flood history, and where desk research stops and a RICS survey starts. Habifact is desk research, not a survey or valuation, and the guides are clear about what each check can and cannot tell you.
A pre-visit checklist you can work through at your desk using free sources: the EPC register, the GOV.UK flood risk service, police.uk, the council planning portal and Land Registry sold prices. It shows where the listing and the records can disagree, for example advertised floor area against the EPC, and which of those gaps are worth a question before you give up a Saturday. It finishes with what to look at on the day, without pretending you can inspect like a surveyor.
How to read the GOV.UK long term flood risk check for an address in England, and why it says it cannot tell you how likely an individual property is to flood. It explains the difference between river and sea flooding and surface water, what to ask the agent in writing, how insurance and Flood Re fit in, and when a flood flag is a reason to skip the viewing.
A flood map is a forecast; it does not tell you whether the house you like has already had water through the door. This post explains how to check the flood history of a property in England: ask the seller and get it in writing, request a flood history report from the Environment Agency, and check with the council. It also covers whether a seller has to disclose that a house has flooded, and the signs worth asking about at the viewing.
If you are looking for a pre-purchase property assessment, it helps to know there are three different things on offer: a desk-based property report, a mortgage valuation and a RICS Home Survey. This guide explains what each one does, who it is written for, and why the usual order is view, offer, then survey. A desk report like Habifact's comes first and does not inspect the building, so it is not a substitute for a surveyor.
See a sample Pre-Visit report (illustrative, not a real address).
Habifact is not a survey, valuation, conveyancing search, or legal, mortgage or insurance advice.
See a sample Pre-Visit report