HouseDossier
First-Time Buyer Checks

First-Time Buyer Property Checks -
Know Before You Offer

Buying your first home is the biggest financial decision of your life. Our instant report runs every critical check before you commit - flood, EPC, subsidence, crime, schools and 70+ more data points.

Try a postcode (SW1A 2AA) or “12 SW1A 2AA”. Covers England and Wales.

Free preview always included. Full checks report from £19.95.

Why This Matters

The Information Gap That Costs First-Time Buyers Thousands

First-time buyers are particularly vulnerable. You have never done this before. You may not know what to look for, what questions to ask, or which risks are serious enough to walk away from. Estate agents represent the seller, not you. Your solicitor will eventually run searches - but those arrive weeks into the process, after you have already incurred costs.

The average first-time buyer spends £2,000–£3,000 in fees before exchange - surveys, solicitors, mortgage arrangement. If a serious issue emerges after those fees are spent, you face an agonising decision: accept the risk or walk away and lose your investment.

Running a HouseDossier check before making your offer means you go in informed. You know about the flood risk, the EPC rating, the planning history. You can negotiate on the basis of facts, not hope.

300K+

first-time buyer completions per year in England

MHCLG

£2,500

average pre-exchange fee spend by FTBs

HomeOwners Alliance

20%

of buyers discover significant issues post-offer

Which? 2023

£285K

average first-time buyer property price (2024)

Halifax FTB Report

The Complete Checklist

What to Check Before You Buy - And What HouseDossier Covers

Every item on this checklist is included in a Full Dossier report. Use priority ratings to know where to focus.

Environmental Risk

  • Flood zone designation (river, surface water, groundwater)
    Critical
  • Subsidence and ground movement risk (BGS GeoSure)
    High
  • Radon gas risk level (UK Health Security Agency)
    Medium
  • Contaminated land and landfill proximity
    Medium

Energy & Running Costs

  • EPC rating and annual estimated energy costs
    Critical
  • Available grants (GBIS, BUS, ECO4)
    High
  • Solar potential (PVGIS data)
    Low

Financial Intelligence

  • Full sold price history since 1995
    Critical
  • Comparable sales in the postcode
    High
  • Council tax band
    High
  • Tenure (freehold or leasehold) and lease length
    Critical

Planning & Heritage

  • Planning application history
    High
  • Listed building status (Historic England)
    Medium
  • Conservation area designation
    Medium

Neighbourhood

  • Local school Ofsted ratings and catchment areas
    High
  • Crime statistics by postcode (Police.uk)
    High
  • Broadband speeds (Ofcom)
    Medium

How It Works

Your First-Time Buyer Report in 60 Seconds

01

Enter the property address

Start with just a postcode - or a full address. We identify the exact property using Ordnance Survey data and begin pulling data from all 15 government sources simultaneously.

02

Review your free preview

Every search starts with a free preview showing the key facts: sold price history, EPC rating, and flood zone. Enough to know whether the property warrants a full report.

03

Unlock the full report for £19.95

The Full Dossier covers all 15 sections - 70+ data points from flood risk to crime statistics to grant eligibility. Download as a PDF to share with your solicitor or use in negotiations.

Pricing

Less Than a Round of Drinks

Quick Check

£9.95per report
  • Flood risk (4 types)
  • EPC rating & energy costs
  • Sold price history
  • Crime statistics
  • Local schools
Get Quick Check
RECOMMENDED FOR FTBs

Full Dossier

£19.95per report
  • Everything in Quick Check
  • Subsidence & ground risk
  • Radon gas risk
  • Full planning history
  • Grant eligibility analysis
  • AI summary & red flag alerts
Get Full Dossier

FAQ

First-Time Buyer Checks - Frequently Asked Questions

When should a first-time buyer run a property check?
Ideally before making an offer, or at the very latest before commissioning a physical survey. Running checks at the offer stage means you can factor known risks into your offer price, rather than discovering them after you have incurred legal fees and survey costs. Many first-time buyers now run a HouseDossier check when they are seriously considering a property, to screen out any serious red flags before proceeding.
What are the most important checks for first-time buyers?
For most first-time buyers, the five most important checks are: (1) flood risk - a serious issue that affects insurance and mortgage availability; (2) EPC rating - which determines annual running costs and upcoming regulatory requirements; (3) subsidence risk - particularly relevant in older properties, former mining areas, and clay-heavy soil areas; (4) planning history - to identify any controversial nearby developments; and (5) sold price history - to ensure you are not overpaying relative to the recent market.
What does my solicitor's search cover that I need separately?
Your solicitor's conveyancing searches typically include a Local Authority Search (planning, building regulations, road adoption), a CON29DW Water and Drainage Search (sewer proximity, drainage assets), and an Environmental Search (broad contamination and flood risk). These are legally required by your mortgage lender and cover regulatory and legal matters. They do not provide crime statistics, Ofsted ratings, subsidence scores, EPC data, or market value analysis - all of which you need to make an informed decision.
Do I need a Help to Buy EPC to use a HouseDossier report?
No. HouseDossier reports work for all property types and purchase routes - whether you are buying with a standard mortgage, using a Lifetime ISA, buying through Shared Ownership, or using any government scheme. The EPC data in our report comes from the MHCLG national register and covers all property types.
How much should a first-time buyer budget for due diligence?
A sensible due diligence budget for a first-time buyer might be: £19.95 for a HouseDossier Full Dossier, £400–£600 for a RICS Level 2 HomeBuyer Survey, and £300–£500 for a solicitor's conveyancing searches (usually bundled into your overall conveyancing fee). This total of roughly £750–£1,200 should be seen as an investment against a purchase worth hundreds of thousands of pounds - and can save significantly more if it reveals a reason to renegotiate or walk away.
What is leasehold and should first-time buyers avoid it?
Leasehold properties (common for flats and some houses) mean you own the property but not the land it sits on. This creates obligations including service charges, ground rent (now regulated under the Leasehold Reform Act 2024), and the need for freeholder consent for alterations. It is not inherently problematic, but you should check the lease length (below 80 years becomes difficult to mortgage and expensive to extend), the ground rent terms, and any major works planned. Our report notes tenure and flags short leases.
Are there grants available for first-time buyers that my report can identify?
Yes. Our Full Dossier flags several grant opportunities based on the specific property data: Great British Insulation Scheme grants (based on EPC rating), Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants (if a heat pump is viable), and local authority improvement grants. We also flag First Homes scheme eligibility criteria for new-build purchases and note whether the property is in a Stamp Duty relief zone for first-time buyers.

Start Your Checks

Don't let your first home become your first mistake

Enter any UK address for instant property intelligence - 70+ checks in 60 seconds.

Try a postcode (SW1A 2AA) or “12 SW1A 2AA”. Covers England and Wales.

Free preview included. Full report from £19.95.

Property Survey ReportConveyancing ChecksFlood Risk Check

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