Radon Gas Information Guide

If you have received one of our local searches and the reply to Question 3.13 Radon Gas is “No” then the property is considered to be below the Action Level of 200 Bq/m3 and no further action is required. If however the reply is “Yes” then the property is deemed to be in an area which is above the Action Level and you should read the following advice.

Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally. It has no taste, smell or colour; in fact, special devices are needed to detect it. Radon gas is everywhere, usually at levels that pose negligible risk. Even in areas the Government has identified as affected by radon, most homes do not have a radon problem. However, some do – but in affected houses the problem of radon can usually be tackled with simple, effective and relatively inexpensive measures.

The Government recommends that people in affected areas test their houses for radon.

A straightforward approach to radon gas

For a property sale in a radon affected area, the best way for both buyer and seller to approach the radon problem is openly and straightforwardly. If a house hasn't been tested for radon, it might seem that deciding on a fair price will prove complicated, but other people have faced the problem before, and some simple solutions have been worked out; they are described below.

• Ask if the house has been tested.
Sellers are not legally obliged to volunteer the information they know, but if you ask for it they must give it - so if the house has been tested the seller will tell you. Ask to see the letter giving the result.

If the result is over 200Bq/m3, then there is a problem. But it is not necessarily the case that the 'higher the level, the greater the problem'. A house might have quite high levels of radon but only need simple measures to reduce them. A lot depends on the house's construction. It is also important to emphasise that levels vary greatly - some houses have been found with well over 1,000Bq/m3, so a level of, for example, 220Bq/m3, although needing action, is not exceptional.

The seller may already have taken measures to reduce indoor radon levels. If so, he or she should have taken the radon test again - in which case you should ask to see the result of the second test.

• What if the house has not been tested?
If the house has not been tested you should take the radon test soon after you move in. Test results can vary according to the householders' lifestyles. Even if more than three months are left before the present occupants move out, it may be better that you take the test - it will reflect your lifestyle.

The radon bond
This enables both buyer and seller to make a fair arrangement about the costs of any radon work needed, if the test result is above the Action Level.

How do I arrange a price with the seller?
No seller should be asked to accept a lower price for a house just because it is in a radon affected area - or if his or her radon level has tested below the Action Level. Very few houses are affected by radon problems so any price adjustments should be made on a house-by-house basis.

If the radon level has tested above the Action Level, the buyer and seller should agree on a fair price reduction to reflect the cost of radon reduction work.

The BRE favours the radon bond as a solution to this problem and it has proved popular with buyers, sellers and financial institutions alike. Buyer and seller agree on a likely sum of money, enough to cover typical radon reduction costs. The money is taken out of the buyer's paying price and held by a third party (for example, a solicitor) until the test result is known and any reduction measures have been done. Both parties sign a contract that lays down how the bond will work. If the test shows there is no problem, the bond money goes to the seller. If the test shows there is a problem, reduction work is paid for from the bond money; any excess is returned to the seller. For the bond to work, it must be fair to both parties. It must reflect reasonable costs, not the most expensive possible solution. The bond's life must be realistic, allowing - for example - nine months from completion of house sale to a radon test result, with another six months for reduction work if needed.

For further information on Radon and Radon Tests please contact:

Defra Information Resource Centre
Lower Ground Floor
Ergon House
c/o Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR
Defra Helpline:- 08459 33 55 77

Useful links:
http://www.bre.co.uk/radon/ http://www.defra.gov.uk/ENVIRONMENT/RADIOACTIVITY/radon/index.htm http://www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/default.htm

DISCLAIMER

This information is neither a statement of law nor an interpretation of the law, and its status is only an introductory guide to radon issues and should not be used as a source for statutory definitions.