Property Risk Calculator

A property risk assessment identifies environmental and structural hazards that could affect a property. This includes flood risk from rivers, surface water and groundwater, ground subsidence from coal mining, radon gas exposure, proximity to landfill sites, air quality issues, noise pollution from roads and railways, and invasive plant species like Japanese Knotweed.

Flood risk is not automatically checked as part of a standard property purchase. Your solicitor may recommend environmental searches, but these are optional. Using a property risk calculator before buying helps you understand potential flood risks early, which can affect insurance costs and property value.

Properties in high flood risk areas can see values reduced by 10-20%. Flood risk also increases insurance premiums significantly and can make some properties difficult to insure or mortgage. Checking flood risk before purchasing helps you make an informed decision about the true cost of ownership.

Japanese Knotweed is an invasive plant that can cause structural damage to buildings and reduce property values by up to 15%. Most mortgage lenders will not lend on properties with Japanese Knotweed within 7 metres of the building. Our property risk checker identifies if invasive plants have been recorded near your address.

A full environmental report from Homemove covers flood risk assessment, ground stability and subsidence risk, contaminated land checks, radon gas levels, air quality data, noise pollution from roads and railways, invasive plant species detection, and proximity to landfill sites. Reports start from £99 and provide detailed, property-specific analysis.

While not legally required, environmental searches are strongly recommended when buying a property. They reveal hidden risks that standard surveys don't cover, such as flood zones, contaminated land, and subsidence risk. Many mortgage lenders require environmental searches as a condition of lending.

Our property risk calculator uses official data sources including the Environment Agency flood maps, British Geological Survey data, and government environmental databases. The free check provides an overview of key risks, while our full environmental report provides detailed, property-specific analysis with professional recommendations.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that seeps from the ground into buildings. Long-term exposure increases the risk of lung cancer. Certain areas of the UK have higher radon levels due to the underlying geology. Our property risk checker shows whether your property is in an affected area and what action you may need to take.