PostcodeCheck vs PropertyChecker 2026: Which £8 Report Should You Buy?
They cost almost the same. They are not competing products. Here is the difference and which one to buy at which stage.
Quick answer
Buy PostcodeCheck (£3.99) first if you have not yet made an offer. It gives you an early read on flood, ground risk, planning, the crime trend and nearby schools before you commit to surveying. Buy PropertyChecker (£8.99) later if your solicitor has not already ordered the Land Registry title and you want to verify ownership and any restrictions yourself.
Side by side
| Feature | PostcodeCheck Buyer (£3.99) | PropertyChecker (£8.99) |
|---|---|---|
| Flood risk verdict + history | ✓ | - |
| Coal mining + subsidence (indicative estimate) | ✓ | - |
| Radon (indicative estimate) | ✓ | - |
| Crime trend (12-month) | ✓ | - |
| Likely school catchment + Ofsted | ✓ | - |
| Planning apps within 500m | ✓ | - |
| Price projections + yield | ✓ | - |
| Stamp duty + mortgage check | ✓ | - |
| Land Registry title document | , (only sold prices) | ✓ |
| Owner names + restrictions | - | ✓ |
| Sold price comparables | ✓ (within 500m) | ✓ (street-level) |
| PDF + email delivery | ✓ (instant) | ✓ (instant) |
Use case A: pre-offer checks
You have viewed a property and you are deciding whether to offer or commission a survey. At this stage you want to rule out flood, coal, radon, subsidence, planning permission for the building opposite, school catchment misses, and crime hotspots. PropertyChecker does not provide any of this; PostcodeCheck does. Buy PostcodeCheck (£3.99).
Check the address free
Free address report first: sale history, EPC rating, flood zone, crime, schools and planning nearby. Premium (£4.99) adds ground stability, radon, coal mining, listed and conservation status, company ownership and property tribunal history.
Free, then Premium£4.99
Use case B: ownership verification
You want to confirm the seller actually owns the property, see if there are any covenants (e.g. restrictions on extensions), or check for charges (mortgages, second charges). Your solicitor will pull this title at exchange (£3 from HMLR direct), but if you want to see it yourself before instructing a solicitor, PropertyChecker is one of the cheapest places to buy a copy. PostcodeCheck does not include the title document itself.
Use case C: you want both
Total cost: £16.98. For comparison, an in-pack environmental search (Groundsure or Landmark) alone costs £60-120 standalone, and a full conveyancing search pack costs £250-450 at exchange. Buying both PostcodeCheck and PropertyChecker is still the cheapest way to get area + ownership data privately before you instruct a solicitor.
Verdict
They are complementary, not competing. PostcodeCheck answers is this a good place and is the property at risk? PropertyChecker answers who owns it and what is on the title?Different stages of the same buying journey.
Most buyers should run PostcodeCheck first (£3.99) to filter out red-flag areas, then let their solicitor handle the title at exchange. PropertyChecker is for anyone who wants to see the title themselves before instructing.
Check the address free
Free address report first. Premium (£4.99) adds British Geological Survey ground stability and radon bands, the Coal Authority mining check, planning designations, company ownership and tribunal history.