Property Buyers - FAQ's

Introduction

Its important to realise, most properties in the UK don't actually harbor dangerously high levels of radon gas, even properties designated by the government as being "located within a radon effected area", however - some do !!!

If you're considering making an offer for a property that has been designated as located within a radon area it's extremely important you don't ignore the warning. Exposure to elevated levels of radon pose a serious risk to your family's health and can lead to financial loss through radon property blight. Screening a property for radon only takes 48 hrs, its inexpensive, and very easy to DIY deploy. The results obtained from the test give a reliable indication of the radon levels present in the property. The radon report generated provides your acting solicitor and mortgage lender the information required to eliminate or implement a radon bond to protect you financially should you proceed to conclude on the property.

Q: Is radon dangerous ?

A: It should be emphasised that when the radon concentrations are high, it poses a serious risk to health. Radioactive decay of radon forms particles called 'Radon daughters'. When inhaled, radon decay products (polonium-218 and polonium-214, solid form), unattached or attached to the surface of aerosols, dusts, and smoke particles become deeply lodged or trapped in the lungs where they can radiate and penetrate the cells of mucous membranes, bronchi, and other pulmonary tissues. The ionising radiation energy affecting the bronchial epithelial cells initiate the process of carcinogenesis. Although radon-related lung cancers are mainly seen in the upper airways, radon increases the incidence of all histological types of lung cancer, including small cell carcinoma, Aden carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.

Scientists in Europe measure radon levels in Becquerels per cubic meter (Bqm-3).

The UK Government has set a safe limit below 200 Bqm-3 for exposure to radon gas in the home. Any property found to harbor elevated levels above this action level should implement mitigation measures to reduce the exposure.

It's a scientific fact, radon is the second largest cause of lung cancer killing between 1,000 and 2,000 people in the UK a year. People who are exposed to high levels of radon over a period of time are much more likely to develop lung cancer.

Q: I am considering making an offer for a property that has been flagged as "located within a radon affected area" in CON-29(R) local authority land search. Is it possible to establish if the house harbors elevated levels of radon gas by paying a search company for a written radon report on the property ?

A: The only way to establish if the property has elevated radon levels is to conduct a test. Its totally pointless spending money on a written report that produces an estimate of the radon levels on a particular property purely based on its location or postcode. Due to the very nature of radon, neighboring properties can contain very low levels of radon whilst an adjacent property can harbor dangerously high levels. Producing a report without actually having tested the property is, at best just an educated guess and is extremely damaging to both the seller and the buyer and will not satisfy any lender or acting solicitor.

Q: I would like to make an offer on a property "located within a radon affected area" in the CON-29(R) local area land search. Can I request the owner assists me In conducting a radon test on their property ?

A: The owner will already be acutely aware the property is located within a radon effected area. If they can't provide you with a current radon test result you should ask them directly or approach them through your solicitor for assistance in conducting your own radon test on the property.

Most sellers recognise the advantages of being able to eliminate any radon question marks hanging over the sale of their property and are only too happy to assist in the testing of their property.

Q: Although the property is "located within a radon effected area" in the CON-29(R) local area land search, I was advised that radon gas is not a problem in this area and I should just ignore the warning.

A: If the property is flagged as "located within a radon effected area" it basically means, for every 100 properties located within the same 1km square area, 1 or more of the properties can be expected to exceed the radon action level of 200 bqm3. Advising anyone that radon is not a problem without actually having conducted a test on the property is unethical. If the person discouraging you from testing for radon has any direct involvement in the sale of the property they also risk exposing themselves to liability.

Important: - If you are considering making an offer for a property "located within a radon affected area" don't under any circumstance be discouraged from testing the property for radon. After all, it's you and your family who intends living in the house, not them.

Q: I noticed you provide a long and a short-term radon test, what test should I conduct on the property ?

A: Radon levels fluctuate and peaks and troughs occur due to numerous seasonal and environmental factors. Taking a long-term test over a prolonged period of three months will produce a result that can estimate your annual average exposure levels to radon. The short-term 2 to 4 day test, while highly accurate, provides a grab value of the radon levels at the time of testing and is deployed to screen a property for radon gas when time is of the essence and results are required quickly. The short-term 2 to 4 day activated charcoal test is the most widely deployed type of radon detector in the world selling over 15 million a year in the US and has been specifically developed to provide buyers and sellers the means of screening a property for radon prior to exchanging of contracts. Results from the short-term test provide an accurate picture of the radon levels in a property and help establish or eliminate the need for your acting solicitor to implement a "radon bond" should you then proceed to make an offer.

Q: What is a "radon bond" ?

A: If results from the short-term radon screening test are elevated and indicate the annual average exposure levels could exceed the 200 Bqm-3 a further long-term test should then be deployed over an extended period of 90+ days. The long-term test provides an estimate to the yearly average radon exposure and should always be undertake before any final decision is made on installing a radon mitigation system to reduce radon levels.

Conducting a long-term test over an extended period of three months in the middle of a convayancing transaction is however impractical and unfair to both parties. In order to avoid the sale collapsing acting solicitors, armed with the information gained from the earlier short-term 2-4 day screening test can implement a radon bond that allows both parties to exchange contracts without further delay whilst still protecting the financial interests of the buyer. The bond involves an acting solicitor to retain an agreed percentage value of the sale until the new owner has time to settle into the property and conduct a three-month long-term radon test. Should the subsequent test results indeed prove annual average radon exposure exceeds the governments action level of 200 Bqm-3 the money held in the radon bond can then be allocated to installing a radon mitigation system to reduce the radon levels.

Should the subsequent long-term follow-up test actually prove the annual average radon levels at the property are below the safe action level of 200 Bqm-3, the whole sum is then returned to the seller.

Q: How Long Should A Radon Bond Be In Place ?

A: If you have purchased a property and have a radon bond in place you must first wait a full 60 days after moving into the property before undertaking the long-term radon test as the upheaval of moving in and out disturbs radon levels and can produce an erratic result. After the 60-day resting period a long-term test should then be conducted over a period of 90 days.

In order to allow for further re-testing in the event of any mitigation work being required a radon bond should therefore be implemented for a minimum period of 11 months, with a maximum period of 18 months.

Q: How much money should be placed into a radon bond ?

A: Its important to retained a fair sum of money that's a true reflection on the current mitigation costs that can be incurred without unduly burdening the seller.

An averaged sized property with three bedrooms should request a radon bond of around £2,500 to £3,500.

The current average cost of installing an active fan assisted radon mitigation system is approximately £2,000.

Q: I am in a hurry to exchange contracts on a property, how long will it take before I can receive the results from my 48 Hr short-term radon screening test ?

A: Analysis and reporting of your radon test takes our laboratory three working days to complete, please also allow a few extra days for Royal Mail to return your test kit back to AlphaLab. If you have requested your report to be posted, please also take the extra postage time into consideration. Alternatively, we can fax or e-mail through a copy of your report to help speed through your test results.

Q: How can I be sure my test results are accurate ?

A: AlphaLab employs a rigorous quality assurance program to ensure all test results are scientifically sound and of known precision and accuracy. The program includes a written procedure for obtaining QA objectives and a system for recording and monitoring the results in four key elements.

1/ Calibration measurements are taken daily and include samples from known standards and radon environments.

2/ Background measurements are taken daily to establish a reliable check on instrument operation.

3/ Duplicate measurements provide a check on the quality of the measurement result, allowing for any precision in error.

4/ Routine daily instrument performance checks of analysis equipment.

Q: What do the short-term test results indicate ?

Q: How can you reduce radon in a property to safe levels ?

A: In most cases, a system with vent pipes and fans are used to reduce radon. These "sub-slab depressurisation systems" do not require major changes to the property. Similar systems can also be installed in properties with crawl spaces. These systems prevent radon gas from entering the property from below the floor and foundations. Radon mitigation contractors can suggest other methods that can be just as effective on your property. The right system for any property largely depends on the buildings construction and the annual average radon levels recorded.

Q: Do you provide a radon mitigation service ?

A: No sorry, AlphaLab provide a radon gas testing and laboratory analysis service. Providing radon mitigation equipment would be a conflict of interest.