What to Check Before Buying a House

Start from the address, not the listing

Estate agent copy is marketing. The same home on official datasets may tell a plainer story. Begin with a consistent address and UPRN-level view where possible so you do not mix up neighbouring plots.

Tenure and charges

Confirm whether the home is freehold, leasehold, or shared ownership. For leasehold, short leases and aggressive ground-rent terms can affect mortgage offers. Note charges, restrictive covenants, and rentcharges that could affect use or resale.

Energy and running costs

Review the EPC for band, recommendations, and validity. It is not a building survey, but it frames likely running costs and future improvement work.

Environment and insurance

Check flood and ground-stability context using official mapping layers. Insurers sometimes care about different facts than buyers do; flag anything that could affect cover.

Planning and alterations

Ask whether extensions and loft conversions have planning and building control evidence. Gaps here often become conveyancing enquiries later.

Keep a single record

Capture questions, links, and PDFs in one place so your conveyancer gets a clean handover. Property Passport UK is built around the address so Stakeholders can see what is verified and what is still open.

Next steps on Property Passport UK

Run the address through [Property Search](/search), then explore the [Property Guides library](/guides). When you own or manage the home, [claim your Property Passport](/claim/start) and add Documents with dates and sources so permitted Stakeholders see a single coherent record.