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| Look no further for the answers. |
Environment Search Queries
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Can
you give me a definitive answer to the question – is this
property contaminated? |
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No. We can only certify
that the level of environmental risk identified in the report
is not likely to be sufficient enough for the property to be
described as contaminated land as defined by Section 78(a)2
of Part IIA of the Environmental Act 1990.
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What is the certification
process and what happens if the report does not receive a certificate? |
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The Certificate is initially
based on a risk model – the environmental factors contained
in the search are rated on a point’s score, the sum of
which is used to determine whether a Certificate is issued or
not.
Where a Certificate cannot be issued at this stage, a manual
review of the search is undertaken by RPS consultants in order
to provide expert judgment on the significance of any potential
contamination found. Once this revision has taken place, the
report will either receive a Certificate or will be rejected.
If rejected, instructions will be enclosed in the report to
obtain information regarding ‘potentially contaminative
areas’ from the Local Authority, Environment Agency or
another source, which we in turn forward on to RPS, in order
for them to reach a decision on the likelihood of contamination.
If you do not wish to locate this information yourself, RPS
Consultants can investigate further on your behalf at an approximate
cost of £300 + VAT.
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Land Insurance |
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Our Land Insurance Policy
gives you a 10 year policy with up to £1 million cover
against the legal costs of finding the original polluter and,
if they cannot be found, the costs of cleaning up the contaminated
land. It also insures against any loss of property value caused
by contamination.
Insurance can be taken on it’s own or in conjunction with
the Residential Environmental Report.
If you require Insurance after a Report has been issued, then
as long as it received a certificate, then we will be able to
issue a Land Insurance Policy.
If the report did not receive a certificate then we at STL Group
are unable to supply a policy, but we are able to obtain a quote
for you from our Data Providers. You will need to fill in a
questionnaire, which we will send to you, and once that has
been returned, a quote can be processed for you.
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What if my property
is susceptible to flooding? |
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Being in a floodplain does
not necessarily mean that a property will be flooded, as the
maps supplied only give information on areas at risk. The data
on flooding does not take into account flood defences, which
may protect some areas, e.g., the Thames Barrier. If you require
further clarification on this please contact Floodline on 0845
988 1188.
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The report has
shown a risk of subsidence, what do I do now? |
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Be advised that the subsidence
reading relates to the whole of the post-coded area, and not
just on the property in question.
The overall reading is based on a points system. The section
in the report on ‘Land Instability’ is made up of
4 or more sections, which are given point’s dependant
on their level. An overall reading is taken, and that gives
the subsidence level as either low, moderate or at & above
the moderate level.
For any further clarification, contact the British Geological
Society on 0115 936 3109, from whom we obtain our data on subsidence.
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What is Radon,
and is it harmful? |
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Radon is a naturally occurring
radioactive gas. It comes from the break down of minute amounts
of uranium, which are present in all soils, rocks, and brick’s
and concrete.
Radon that enters poorly ventilated enclosed spaces, such as
some basements, buildings, caves and tunnels may reach unacceptably
high concentration level, and it is when trapped in a poorly
ventilated area that it poses a health risk.
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What is an Aquifer
& What is Groundwater Vulnerability? |
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An aquifer is an underground
stream, spring or well.
Groundwater Vulnerability is an indication of how easy it is
for Groundwater (i.e. aquifers) in a particular area to become
polluted by contaminants spilt on the surface.
The presence of this information by itself is not a cause for
concern; however, it is useful when assessing the risk presented
by surrounding land uses.
For example, if a factory is located near your property, and
something contaminative is spilt on the surface – Groundwater
Vulnerability is – how easy would it be for that contamination
to spread to the groundwater located at your property.
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What are landfills,
and how to they affect my property? |
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A landfill is a ‘Waste
Disposal Site’. It is a site that relates to areas of
ground, which over time, have been used to deposit waste materials.
Whilst some ‘active’ sites are still in operation,
many are no longer in use (inactive) and may have been covered
over and redeveloped. A variety of waste materials can be deposited
and the type of waste deposited, will influence the risk a particular
site could pose.
For further clarification on this matter it is advised that
the Local Authority is consulted.
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What is Past/Current
Industrial Land Use? |
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Past industrial Land use
can relate to many industrial uses that are no longer in working
order, i.e. former railways, factories. Even if you’re
report receives a certificate it will still highlight what past
industrial land use took place, to make you aware, as the land
it was situated on still has the potential to become contaminated.
Current Industrial Land use relates to current land use –
that is IN working order. The list of these is endless, as it
covers all manors of shops and businesses, and these again are
listed in the report as they may have the potential to become
contaminative. |
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| To order property searches, indemnity policies, Land Registry documents online,
register here. |
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