A property’s history sits across several records. A sale entry, an energy certificate and a planning decision each describe a different event. Build a simple timeline rather than expecting one database to tell the whole story.
What to check.
Match the address carefully
Check the house or flat number, postcode and any previous name. A converted building may have records for both the original house and its individual flats.
Separate the events
Keep sale dates, certificate dates and planning decisions in separate columns. The date a record appeared online may be different from the date of the event.
Follow the remaining questions
Use the local planning register, title documents and relevant archives for questions the available report cannot answer. Record the source beside each conclusion.
What the evidence cannot tell you.
Public records can be incomplete, delayed or attached to an older address. Price Paid Data is not an ownership history, and a construction age band is not an exact build date.