Questions
Short answers. The terms are the contract. A report is not a planning permission.
What does Address Insight do?
See what you could build, before you make an offer or talk to an architect or planning consultant. You enter the address. We check what was approved and refused on similar homes nearby. You get an easy-to-read report.
Who is it for?
People about to offer on a house, people who already own one, and the agents helping them. It is a simple report, not a visit from an architect or a planning consultant.
What do I get?
A report on the website and a PDF. We check 8 common home improvements, such as a rear extension, a loft conversion, a side extension, a garage conversion and a garden room. You also see nearby examples and what to do next.
Which areas can I order?
The areas page lists the councils you can order. Enter the full postcode. If we don't cover it yet, you can ask us to.
Where do the examples come from?
From public planning records for that council, plus official maps of things like Green Belt and conservation areas. The report names the sources and links the records we can link. We do not copy drawings.
Does a neighbour's approval mean mine will be approved?
No. A neighbour's permission is about their house, their drawings and the rules at the time. Yours is decided on its own. Nearby decisions are useful context. They are not a promise.
How do I compare a street before I buy?
Look at decided applications on similar houses, not a borough-wide average. Note what was allowed, what was refused, and whether the refusals were about size, design or a designation such as a conservation area. The report lines those up for one address.
Will you look at this exact house?
The map checks use the postcode point. An old condition on one house, for example a rule that took away the right to extend, is listed as something we could not see unless a source we can read shows it.
What is the difference between the prices?
£49 is the short report. £79 is the full report, with more nearby examples. £99 is the same full report, prepared first. Paying more does not change the answers.
Does a likely yes mean the council will say yes?
No. Likely yes means similar homes nearby were mostly allowed. The council still decides your drawings on their own.
Can I get a refund?
Yes, until the report is sent. After that it has been supplied. If the file is faulty, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 still applies. The full rules are on the refunds page.
How fast is it?
In Bromley, your report is usually ready within 12 hours. For other addresses we cover, it is usually ready in 1 to 2 working days. We email you when it is ready. The same timing is in the terms.
Do you include flood maps?
The report checks the published flood zone for the postcode point and says what that zone is. It is context from the public map, not a flood-risk assessment and not a drainage design.
What about noise and air quality?
Where a public map covers the postcode, the report can note the published context, such as a main road nearby. It does not measure noise or air at the house, and it does not replace an environmental report.
What should I prepare before I meet an architect or planning consultant?
The address, the jobs you are considering, and anything you already know about the house, such as an extension that is already there. The report is a way to test those ideas against nearby decisions so the first conversation starts with a sharper brief.