Property buying guides
- Buying a house in the UK — the 2026 step-by-step guide
Every stage of the UK house-buying process, from offer to exchange to completion.
- Conveyancing explained — what your solicitor actually does
What the £1,500 you're about to spend on a solicitor actually buys you, and what they don't check.
- Buying a flat with a short lease (under 80 years) — what to know
Marriage value, lender thresholds, ground rent traps, and how to use a short lease to renegotiate the price.
- Buying in a conservation area — what changes
Article 4 directions, window restrictions, paint colours, satellite dishes, insurance, and the resale premium.
- Buying a property in a coal mining area
CON29M searches, mine entries, subsidence history and what flags lead to insurance refusals.
- Listed building grades I, II*, II — what each means for a buyer
Listed Building Consent, what's actually protected inside the home, unauthorised work penalties, and ownership cost.
- How to read a UK flood zone map
Flood Zone 1, 2, 3a and 3b explained, surface water risk, Flood Re eligibility and real-world insurance premium hikes.
- Restrictive covenants on UK property — what they are and how to handle them
Common covenant types, when they're enforceable, Lands Tribunal applications, indemnity insurance and what to ask your solicitor.
- Freehold vs leasehold — what UK buyers need to know in 2026
Tenure definitions, the 2024 Reform Act, commonhold, share of freehold, lease extension cost and what mortgage lenders look for.
- Buying a property with Japanese knotweed nearby — risk and remediation
The 7-metre rule, mortgage impact, treatment cost, insurance-backed warranties and the TA6 disclosure obligation post-Davies v Bridgend.
- How to read a UK Land Registry title register — line by line
The Property, Proprietorship and Charges Registers explained, with a redacted example showing what each entry means.
- Buying a flat in the UK — a buyer's pre-offer checklist
Lease length, ground rent, service charge history, sinking fund, EWS1, share of freehold, Section 20, LPE1 and covenants.