How do conveyancers verify radon risk on a property?

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Accepted Answer

Radon risk verification at conveyancing has two parts: an indicative postcode-area band, then (where the band is medium or higher) a physical test on the property.

**Indicative band** — UKHSA publishes the Radon Atlas, a free dataset banding UK postcode areas into 5 risk bands based on the percentage of properties in the area expected to exceed the Action Level of 200 Bq/m³:

- **High**: >=30% of properties above the Action Level (most common in Cornwall, parts of Devon, parts of Northants, parts of Derbyshire)
- **Medium-high**: 10-30%
- **Medium**: 5-10%
- **Low**: 1-5%
- **Very low**: <1% (default for most of England + most of Scotland)

**Physical test** — a £43 home test kit (UKHSA-supplied) measures actual radon levels in the property over 3 months. Mitigation (where required) typically costs £500-£1500 (passive sub-floor sump or active fan); cheaper than the property-value impact at sale.

For conveyancers:

1. Run the postcode against the Radon Atlas. If band is medium or higher, flag for the buyer.
2. The TA6 form asks the seller to disclose any prior radon test or mitigation. A negative (low result) test from the seller is reusable — radon levels are stable.
3. Where the band is high or medium-high + no prior test, the standard recommendation is to commission a kit pre-exchange or condition the sale on a satisfactory result.
4. Lenders sometimes require evidence of mitigation or a satisfactory test for high-band properties. Check the lender's panel rules.

The Stratum postcode-intelligence API returns the radon band at /v1/postcode/{postcode} along with plain-English copy for the report appendix. Source: UKHSA, free, postcode-area resolution.

How do conveyancers verify radon risk on a property?

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