Landmark’s best selling Homecheck Professional Environmental Report is for use by solicitors and other conveyancing professionals. It provides invaluable information on the five key datasets not covered by the standard enquiries of local authorities. According to Landmark’s own data index:

“According to the Environment Department (Defra) and the Environment Agency, approximately 2.3 million properties are at risk from flooding across the UK. In addition, there are over 4,000 licensed landfill sites in Great Britain and 275,000 infilled land sites which may impact the safety and enjoyment of your client’s home”.

The report itself includes detailed data on each of the following causes for purchaser concern:

– Flood Risk: A JBA river and tidal flood map – clear concise mapping of pluvial and fluvial flood risk from JBA data, the largest specialist flood consultancy in the UK. Along with a JBA surface water flood map, detailing the risk posed by surface water to the property in question. An estimate two thirds of the damage inflicted by the 2007 floods is said to have come from displaced surface water.
– Radon Risk: Radon has been described by the media (http://www.radon.co.uk/news/radon-gas-the-silent-killer-in-the-countryside) as the ‘silent killer in the countryside’, figures from 2010 suggest that some 100,000-500,000 carry a high risk factor of radon exposure. In public health figures exposure to radon gas is bested only by smoking as the most common cause of lung disease. The report contains data on whether the property is within a radon affected area as well as whether radon protection measures apply to the property or any subsequent additions the purchaser may wish to make.
– Environmental Risk: Includes data regarding designated contaminated land, known pollution incidents, landfill and waste usage and any other potential contaminative activity within a 250m radius of the subject property.
– Ground Stability: Each report also provides summary information on factors that could affect the ground stability of the property. It considers both manmade factors, for example coal mining activity, and natural hazards such as geological stability.
– Other potentially influential factors: This aspect of the report broadly deals with any geographical environmental constraints which may affect the property in question and any future expansion. Such as areas of outstanding natural beauty, national nature reserves, areas of special scientific interest and conservation areas.

Finally to give further piece of mind included in each report is a professional opinion from environmental risk management consultants RPS. Detailing how far the identified risk factors are likely to affect the property in question as well as steps to be taken by the conveyacer and client to minimise the risk.

For more information please give one of our team a call on 02036373383 or alternatively email us at info@picsearches.com.