house selling - radon advice

ChocolateTeapot2024

Hello - im looking for some advice on radon.

We are selling our old family home. We had a full survey done on the house to be aware of anything that might negatively affect the value, and this phrase mentioned radon

"Radon - the property is located in an area affected by radon gas. You should ask the current owner if they have had the property tested for radon levels. If not, you should ask an appropriately qualified person to assess or arrange for a testing kit to be provided to the house and subsequently sent to a registered laboratory. Visit www.ukradon.org for more information.

Looking on the radon map - the colour over the village (oakley, hampshire) is a light lilac - somewhere in the middle between the lightest lilac and darkest maroon - so I think that would be low-moderate.

What is the best thing to do? Should we order a test or should we take out an indemnity?

many thanks

teaselMay

If I was buying I'd want to know rather than insure against it. It does take 3 months for the test, but they only cost £52.80. If I were you I'd get that started now so that you can show one way or another by the time someone asks

FreeBear

If you are selling, let the next owners decide what they want to do. If the property has suspended timber floors, it might just mean increasing airflow in the void. Solid concrete floors are likely to block any radon as long as it has a decent DPM.

user1977

You do nothing unless a buyer raises it. Not sure what an indemnity policy would actually pay for? 

bouicca21

If you think buyers are likely to ask, consider doing the test.  But it takes 3 months and would you do remedial works if they were required? If not and if you don’t want to wait 3 months then don’t bother. No point in an indemnity.

I was advised to do a radon test when I bought my place.  I suppose it was a gamble but I could tell that the soil in the garden was clay and so a radon problem seemed unlikely.  I was right, negligible levels.

ChocolateTeapot2024

Thanks you guys - the house is a 70s build, with originally an air vent heating system set in concrete, so thank you FreeBear for the explainer on solid concrete blocking radon. Very useful to know! 

I was starting to get a bit worried, as I grew up there and I wasn't sure I wanted to know about the possibility of Radon!

FreeBear

ChocolateTeapot2024 said:

Thanks you guys - the house is a 70s build, with originally an air vent heating system set in concrete, so thank you FreeBear for the explainer on solid concrete blocking radon. Very useful to know!

It is the plastic membrane that is normally used in a concrete slab that acts as a radon barrier. If this is missing, radon will pass through concrete quite easily.

Murphybear

Radon is fairly common, some areas have more than others.  There is useful government site ukradon.org which is very informative and has a detailed map of the U.K. showing the levels of radon.

stuart45

It depends on the level of radon. For higher levels a special DPM is required, as well as the whole footprint of the building being protected.

housebuyer143

I wouldn't do anything, especially if it's only medium or low risk. It was explained to be by a radon testing company that just because it's in a risk area doesn't mean it's affected by it. The house across the road might be and yours could be fine.
You don't need an indemnity, there is nothing to insure against. Some buyers won't care and others might want you to get a test and in that case you can get 30 day ones 

All you do by getting the test is potentially indicating an issue and then you will need to take remedial actions. I'm in Wales and almost the whole area is radon affected. It never affected me selling or buying, no one has ever asked about it. 
When I moved into my new home I got a 3 month test done for peace of mind.

mark_cycling00

Sorry if I sound flippant but that text sounds "boilerplate" and probably added to almost every survey done in sw England, Wales and lots of the midlands too.

the vast majority of homes above the "action level" are in Devon and Cornwall, west Wales and parts of the peak district.

Really hardly any in Hampshire.