Understand the records behind any UK home
Straightforward guides to the public data that decides what a property costs to buy, run and live in. No jargon, no sales pitch, England and Wales.
Buying a new build or an older home: what the data says
The practical trade offs between new build and period property in the UK, from energy performance and warranties to resale evidence, estate charges and snagging.
Read the guideThe real cost of running a home, beyond the mortgage
A structured way to budget for a property before you buy it, covering council tax, energy, water, insurance, service charges, maintenance and the costs that scale with the building.
1 April 2026 7 minAreaSchool catchment areas and Ofsted ratings, explained
How school admission actually works in England, why catchment is not a fixed boundary, what Ofsted grading changes mean, and how to check schools near an address properly.
26 March 2026 7 minAreaHow to research a neighbourhood before you move
A method for judging an area with public data and a couple of visits, covering crime trends, schools, transport, planning, amenities and how streets differ within one postcode.
20 March 2026 7 minBuyingQuestions to ask at a house viewing that actually get answers
The viewing questions that reveal condition, running costs and history, plus what to look at while you ask them and how to prepare using public records beforehand.
14 March 2026 6 minEnergyAre solar panels worth it on a UK home?
What decides whether solar makes sense on a specific roof, how export payments work, what it does to an EPC rating, and the questions to ask before signing anything.
8 March 2026 7 minEnergyHow long does an EPC last, and what to do when it expires
EPC validity is ten years. What that means when you sell, let or improve a home, how to find the expiry date, and when a new assessment is worth booking early.
4 March 2026 6 minOwningThe minimum EPC rating to rent out a property in England and Wales
How the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard works, why band E is the current floor for most private lets, how exemptions are registered and what landlords should check first.
3 March 2026 7 minEnergyWhy is my energy bill so high? Start with the building
Before you switch tariff, work out what your home is doing with the energy. How walls, heating, controls and hot water drive UK bills, and how to find the biggest loss.
2 March 2026 7 minEnergyThe EPC register explained: how to find any home's certificate
What the EPC register is, what it records, who can search it and how to find the energy performance certificate for any address in England and Wales.
2 March 2026 7 minEnergyHow to improve an EPC rating, cheapest measures first
The order to tackle energy improvements in a UK home, from loft and cavity insulation to heating controls, glazing and heat pumps, and how each one moves the rating.
24 February 2026 8 minOwningHow old is my house, and why the age changes everything
Ways to date a UK home using public records and the building itself, and what each construction era means for insulation, heating, maintenance and running costs.
20 February 2026 6 minBuyingLeasehold or freehold: how to check and what to ask
How to find out whether a home is leasehold or freehold, why the remaining lease term matters so much, and the ground rent and service charge questions to ask before you offer.
14 February 2026 7 minBuyingFlood risk when buying a house: the three risks to check
Rivers and sea, surface water and reservoirs are three separate flood risks with different data behind them. What each one means for a purchase, insurance and mortgage.
9 February 2026 7 minAreaIs this street safe? How to read UK crime data properly
Street level crime data is published every month for England and Wales. Here is what it includes, what it deliberately hides, and how to read it without scaring yourself off a good street.
3 February 2026 7 minCostsCouncil tax bands explained, and how to check yours
How council tax bands are set, why they are based on 1991 and 2003 values, what each band costs relative to band D, and how to check and challenge the band on any address.
28 January 2026 7 minBuyingHow to find out what a house sold for
Sold prices for homes in England and Wales are public record. Here is what the data covers, how far back it goes, why a price can look wrong, and how to use it to judge an asking price.
22 January 2026 6 minBuyingWhat to check before buying a house in the UK
A practical checklist of the public records worth reading before you offer on a home in England or Wales, from sold prices and tenure to flood risk, crime, planning and council tax.
18 January 2026 9 minEnergyHow to read an EPC: what the rating actually tells you
What an EPC rating means, how the A to G bands are worked out, what the recommendations section is worth, and how to check the certificate for any home in England or Wales.
12 January 2026 7 minWant all of this for one address?
A full property report pulls the energy certificate, sale history, council tax, flood and crime data, schools and neighbourhood context into one document for any home in England or Wales.
Check an address