How to Answer TA6 Section 7: Environmental Matters

Section 7 of the TA6 Property Information Form deals with environmental matters. It is one of the sections that sellers most often get wrong — either by underestimating what counts as flooding, overlooking radon risk, or not checking whether their land is registered as contaminated.

This guide walks you through every question in Section 7, explains what the buyer's solicitor is looking for, and shows you how to check your answers against free government resources before you submit the form.

What does TA6 Section 7 ask about?

Section 7 is titled Environmental Matters and covers six main areas. The 4th edition of the TA6 (published by the Law Society in 2020) expanded this section significantly, adding more detailed flooding and environmental questions.

If you are unfamiliar with the TA6 form as a whole, our complete guide to the TA6 form covers all 14 sections and explains the legal context.

Question-by-question walkthrough

Below is a detailed breakdown of each question within Section 7, what you should answer, and how to check before you commit to a response.

7.1 Flooding

The form asks whether the property has ever been affected by flooding. This is a broad question and covers all types of flooding, not just dramatic river events you see on the news.

What counts as flooding:

• River (fluvial) flooding — Water overflowing from rivers, streams, or watercourses onto your property.
• Surface water (pluvial) flooding — Heavy rainfall overwhelming drains and flowing across the ground. This is the most common type in England and affects around 3.2 million properties according to the Environment Agency's National Flood Risk Assessment.
• Groundwater flooding — Water rising up through the ground, particularly in chalk and limestone areas. This can cause persistent dampness in basements and lower floors.
• Sewer flooding — Sewage or foul water backing up through drains into the property. This should be reported to your water company and must be disclosed.
• Coastal flooding — Seawater or tidal flooding affecting properties near the coast.

How to answer: If the property has flooded at any point during your ownership, answer "Yes" and provide details including when it happened, which parts of the property were affected, the depth of water, what caused it, and what remedial measures were taken. If you have no knowledge of any flooding, answer "No" but be aware that the buyer's flood risk search may reveal that the property is in a flood risk zone, which will prompt further questions.

How to check your flood risk

Before answering the flooding questions, check your property's flood risk using these free government resources:

1. Gov.uk long-term flood risk service — Visit check-long-term-flood-risk.service.gov.uk and enter your postcode. This shows your risk level from rivers, the sea, surface water, and reservoirs on an interactive map maintained by the Environment Agency.
2. Gov.uk flood warning service — At flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk you can check whether your area has active flood warnings or alerts.
3. Your local authority — As a Lead Local Flood Authority under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, your council maintains records of past flooding events. Contact their drainage or flood risk team to ask whether any incidents have been recorded for your address.
4. Your insurance claims history — Check whether you or a previous owner has ever made a flood-related insurance claim. Your insurer can confirm this.

Checking these resources in advance means your TA6 answers will align with what the buyer's environmental search results reveal, avoiding unnecessary follow-up enquiries.

7.2 Coastal erosion

This question asks whether the property is in an area affected by or at risk of coastal erosion. It is primarily relevant to properties near the coast, particularly along the east coast of England, parts of the Yorkshire and Holderness coastline, and sections of the Norfolk and Suffolk coast.

How to answer: If you are on or near the coast, check your local authority's Shoreline Management Plan. These plans, produced by coastal groups and available on Gov.uk, show whether the policy for your stretch of coast is to hold the line (maintain defences), advance the line (build new defences), managed realignment (allow controlled retreat), or no active intervention (allow natural erosion). If your property falls within a managed realignment or no active intervention zone, you must disclose this.

7.3 Radon

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that rises from the ground and can accumulate in buildings. Long-term exposure to high levels of radon increases the risk of lung cancer. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA, formerly Public Health England) estimates that radon causes around 1,100 lung cancer deaths per year in the UK.

The TA6 asks whether the property is in a radon affected area and whether any radon testing or remediation has been carried out.

How to check: Use the UK Radon Atlas at ukradon.org to check your property's radon probability. The map shows the likelihood that a property in your postcode area exceeds the Action Level of 200 Bq/m³ (becquerels per cubic metre). Areas where 1% or more of homes are estimated to exceed the Action Level are designated as radon Affected Areas.

How to answer: If your property is in a radon Affected Area, answer "Yes" and state whether a radon test has been carried out and what the result was. If radon protection measures have been installed (such as a radon sump or membrane), describe them. If you have had a radon test and the result was below the Action Level, provide the test certificate. If you have not carried out a test, answer "Not known" for the testing question but confirm the Affected Area status.

7.4 Contaminated land

This question asks whether the property or its land has been identified as contaminated under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, or whether you are aware of any contamination.

Land can become contaminated through previous industrial use, proximity to landfill sites, petrol stations, chemical works, gas works, mining activity, or agricultural use involving pesticides or heavy metals. If the local authority has formally designated the land as contaminated, the current owner may be served a remediation notice requiring cleanup at their expense.

How to check: Contact your local authority's environmental health department and ask to view the contaminated land register. Every local authority in England and Wales is required to maintain this register under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. You can also check the Environment Agency's public registers for information about landfill sites, pollution incidents, and discharge consents near your property.

How to answer: If the land has been formally identified as contaminated, answer "Yes" and provide details. If you are simply aware of past industrial use on or near the site (for example, a former factory or petrol station), mention this even if no formal designation has been made. If you have no knowledge of contamination, answer "No" — but be aware that the buyer's environmental search will check historical land use and may flag potential concerns.

7.5 Energy performance

The TA6 asks whether the property has a current, valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Under the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, you must have a valid EPC before marketing your property for sale. An EPC is valid for ten years from the date of issue.

How to answer: State the EPC rating (A to G), the date of issue, and the certificate reference number. You can look up your EPC at epc.opendatacommunities.org, the official EPC register. If your EPC has expired, you must commission a new one from an accredited energy assessor before listing the property. Failure to provide a valid EPC is a criminal offence and can result in a fixed penalty of £200 (Regulation 35).

7.6 Other environmental issues

This catch-all question asks about any other environmental problems you are aware of. Common issues include:

• Japanese knotweed — An invasive plant that can damage foundations and is extremely difficult to eradicate. If present on your property or within 3 metres of the boundary, you must disclose it. Include details of any management plan and insurance-backed treatment guarantee. Under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, allowing Japanese knotweed to spread to neighbouring land can be treated as anti-social behaviour.
• Mining or subsidence — If the property is in a coal mining area, the buyer's solicitor will order a coal mining search from the Coal Authority. Disclose any subsidence, historic mine workings, or mine gas issues you are aware of.
• Asbestos — If you know or suspect that asbestos-containing materials are present in the property (common in properties built before 2000), you should disclose this along with any survey or management plan.
• Noise or odour pollution — If the property is regularly affected by noise or odours from a nearby industrial site, farm, or transport infrastructure, this should be mentioned.

How to decide: "Yes" vs "No" vs "Not known"

Choosing the right answer on each question is critical. The wrong choice can either expose you to a legal claim or unnecessarily delay the sale. Here is how to approach each option:

The key principle is this: never guess. An honest "Not known" with an explanation is far safer than a confident "No" that turns out to be wrong. At the same time, do not overuse "Not known" for things you could easily check. The buyer's solicitor will expect you to have made reasonable efforts to investigate. For more guidance on your disclosure obligations as a seller, see our dedicated guide.

How environmental search results relate to your answers

The buyer's solicitor will typically order an environmental search as part of their due diligence. This search checks:

• Historical land use (from Ordnance Survey maps dating back to the 1840s)
• Proximity to current and former landfill sites
• Contaminated land register entries
• Flood risk zones (from the Environment Agency)
• Radon probability data
• Ground stability and subsidence risk
• Industrial pollution and discharge consents

If the environmental search flags a risk that you answered "No" to on the TA6, the buyer's solicitor will raise an additional enquiry asking you to explain the discrepancy. This delays the transaction and can undermine the buyer's confidence. In a worst-case scenario, the buyer may withdraw.

This is why checking the free government resources mentioned earlier — the Gov.uk flood map, the UK Radon Atlas, and the contaminated land register — is so important. If you discover that your property sits in a flood risk zone, you do not need to panic, but you do need to answer the TA6 accurately and explain what you know. For a deeper explanation of what these search results mean and how to interpret them, see our guide to flood risk searches.

What happens if you answer Section 7 incorrectly

Inaccurate answers on the TA6 are not just inconvenient — they carry real legal consequences. If a buyer discovers after completion that you gave false or misleading answers about environmental matters, they may bring a claim for misrepresentation under the Misrepresentation Act 1967. This could mean:

• Damages — The buyer claims the cost of remediation (for example, flood repairs or Japanese knotweed treatment) plus any reduction in property value.
• Rescission — In serious cases, the court can reverse the entire sale, requiring you to return the purchase price and take the property back.
• Criminal liability — Under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, deliberately concealing environmental problems could constitute a misleading omission. While these regulations primarily target estate agents and traders, the principle of honest disclosure applies to all parties.

The standard of care is reasonableness. You are not expected to carry out professional environmental surveys, but you are expected to disclose what you know and to have made basic checks. Answering "No" to the flooding question when your cellar floods every winter would be difficult to defend.

Tips for answering Section 7 honestly and thoroughly

1. Check the Gov.uk flood map before you start. Knowing your flood risk zone in advance means you can address it directly in your answers rather than being surprised by the buyer's search results.
2. Look up the UK Radon Atlas. If your property is in a radon Affected Area, note this on the form. If you have had a radon test, attach the certificate.
3. Contact your local authority. Ask the environmental health team whether your address appears on the contaminated land register. This is a quick check that could prevent problems later.
4. Review your insurance claims history. Past flood or subsidence claims will come to light during the buyer's due diligence. It is better to disclose them upfront.
5. Check your EPC is in date. Look it up at epc.opendatacommunities.org. If it has expired, arrange a new assessment before listing.
6. Describe remedial measures. If the property has flooded but you have since installed flood barriers, improved drainage, or fitted non-return valves, describe these measures. Buyers and their lenders will be reassured by evidence that you have addressed the issue.
7. Attach supporting documents. Include copies of radon test certificates, Japanese knotweed management plans, flood repair invoices, and any correspondence with the Environment Agency or local authority. The more evidence you provide, the fewer follow-up enquiries you will face.
8. Be specific, not vague. Instead of writing "some water in the garden once," write "Surface water flooding affected the rear garden on 15 February 2020 after sustained heavy rainfall. Water reached approximately 5cm deep. A French drain was installed by [contractor] in April 2020 at a cost of £2,500."

For further guidance on completing the TA6 effectively, our property information form tips guide covers common mistakes across all sections.

How Section 7 connects to other TA6 sections

Environmental matters do not exist in isolation on the TA6 form. Your Section 7 answers should be consistent with what you disclose elsewhere:

• Section 6 (Planning and building control) — If you carried out remedial building work after flooding or installed radon remediation measures, this may also need to be disclosed in Section 6 if planning permission or building regulations approval was required.
• Section 10 (Disputes and complaints) — If environmental issues have led to disputes with neighbours (for example, Japanese knotweed spreading from a neighbouring property), this should also be mentioned in Section 10.
• Insurance (Section 6 of the TA6) — If you have made flood-related insurance claims, or if your insurer has imposed special terms due to environmental risk, this should be disclosed in the insurance section as well.

Completing Section 7 early with Pine

Most sellers do not think about Section 7 until their solicitor sends the TA6 form after an offer has been accepted. By then, every day spent checking flood maps, chasing radon test results, and contacting the local authority is a day your buyer is waiting.

Pine helps you get ahead by completing your TA6 before you list your property. With built-in guidance for every question — including links to the free government resources you need for Section 7 — Pine makes it straightforward to give accurate, thorough answers. When your buyer arrives, your solicitor can send the draft contract pack immediately, cutting weeks off the conveyancing process.

Flood risk and drainage in the TA6

Flood risk and drainage questions are among the most scrutinised parts of the TA6 environmental section. Buyer solicitors pay particularly close attention here because flooding history and drainage problems directly affect property value, insurability, and mortgage lending decisions. Getting these answers right is essential.

What sellers need to disclose:

• Whether the property has ever flooded — This includes the garden, garage, and outbuildings, not just the main house. Even minor waterlogging events should be disclosed if they involved unwanted water entering any part of the property or its grounds.
• Whether you have made an insurance claim for flood damage — Past claims will surface during the buyer's due diligence, so it is far better to disclose them upfront on the TA6 than to have them discovered later.
• Whether the property is in a flood zone— The Environment Agency's flood maps are publicly available at check-long-term-flood-risk.service.gov.uk, so there is no benefit in omitting this information. The buyer's solicitor will check.
• Whether there are any drainage problems or disputes with neighbours over drainage — Blocked drains, shared drainage issues, or disagreements about surface water run-off between neighbouring properties should all be disclosed.
• Whether the property has a private drainage system — If the property uses a septic tank, cesspit, or package treatment plant rather than mains drainage, you must disclose this. Properties with private drainage systems may be subject to the General Binding Rules, which set out conditions for operating small sewage treatment plants and septic tanks. If these rules apply, the system must meet specific standards and may require registration with the Environment Agency.

Consequences of non-disclosure: If a buyer discovers a flooding history after completion that was not disclosed on the TA6, the seller may face a misrepresentation claim under the Misrepresentation Act 1967. This can result in the buyer seeking damages for the cost of flood repairs, reduced property value, or in serious cases, rescission of the sale altogether. Even an honest oversight can amount to negligent misrepresentation if the court considers that the seller ought reasonably to have known about the issue.

It is worth noting that the buyer's solicitor will cross-reference your TA6 answers against the results of the flood risk search and the drainage search. Any discrepancy between what you have declared and what these searches reveal will trigger additional enquiries, potentially delaying the transaction or causing the buyer to lose confidence entirely. Checking free government flood maps and your own records before completing the TA6 is the best way to ensure your answers hold up under scrutiny.

Sources

• Law Society of England and Wales — Property Information Form (TA6), 4th edition, 2020
• Environment Agency — Long-term flood risk information: check-long-term-flood-risk.service.gov.uk
• Environment Agency — National Flood Risk Assessment: gov.uk/government/publications/national-flood-risk-assessment-nafra2
• UK Health Security Agency — UK Radon Atlas: ukradon.org
• Environmental Protection Act 1990, Part 2A (Contaminated Land) — legislation.gov.uk
• Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 — legislation.gov.uk
• Misrepresentation Act 1967 — legislation.gov.uk
• Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 — legislation.gov.uk
• Flood and Water Management Act 2010 — legislation.gov.uk
• Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 — legislation.gov.uk
• RICS — Japanese Knotweed and Residential Property, 2022: rics.org
• EPC Register — epc.opendatacommunities.org

Related guides

• TA6 Flooding Questions: How to Answer
• TA6 Japanese Knotweed: What to Disclose
• TA6 Guarantees and Warranties Section: How to Complete It
• TA6 Rights of Way: How to Complete This Section
• TA6 Contaminated Land: What to Declare
• TA6 Tree Issues: What to Declare
• TA6 Structural Changes: What to Declare
• TA6 Occupiers Section: Who Counts as an Occupier
• Completing the TA6 for an Inherited Property

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