How much do you know about the area you're moving to? For example, the schools or policing and crime rates. What about public transport or Council performance? These things matter and make looking at 'the bigger picture' an important pre-purchase 'essential'.

Information about the area you're hoping to move to could influence your purchasing decision. For example, is there a history of subsidence in the area, or is the property you're hoping to buy near a landfill site? Is it in a coal mining area or an area affected by Radon gas? These are things you need to know BEFORE you buy.

If you're buying a property, it can be a good idea to confirm that the price is right for the type of property and the location it's in, particularly if you're not familiar with the area. 

And if you're selling a property,  you can find out how much similar property in your locality has sold for.

Get a detailed insight into what the neighbourhood in question is like, what the typical house type is and the financial risk associated with it.  If you're thinking of moving house, this information can be of invaluable help providing details of local amenities, shops, and much more neighbourhood information.

Ofsted does much more than inspect schools. They  inspect nurseries, childminders, schools, colleges, teacher training providers, local authorities (LAs) and much more.

Are you at risk of flooding? Find out here, as well as how to prepare for flooding and current flood warnings in force.

Police recorded crime figures with data collected by the British Crime Survey (BCS) to provide a comprehensive account of the latest patterns and trends in the main high-volume crimes.

Noise - unwanted sound - is a universal problem and most of us have been affected by it at some point in our lives.