Understand the local crime picture before arranging a viewing. Recorded crime data by category for any UK address, presented as part of a complete property report.
Why local crime information can be useful before viewing
When you are considering a property in an area you do not know well, local crime information can provide useful context that listings do not give you. The area around a property affects how you feel about living there day to day, and understanding what has been recorded locally is one useful input alongside visiting the area yourself.
Crime data is publicly available through Police.uk, but finding and contextualising it for a specific address takes time and some familiarity with the data. South Facing Garden pulls this information automatically and presents it as part of the property report, so you have it to hand when you are deciding whether to arrange a viewing.
The information is most useful as context for areas you are not familiar with, and as a prompt for questions you might ask during a viewing or of the estate agent.
It is important to read crime figures alongside your own impressions of an area. Statistics reflect recorded incidents and have genuine limitations. They are a starting point, not a verdict. We do not label any area as safe or unsafe based on recorded crime figures alone.
What the crime data shows
South Facing Garden draws on six months of recorded crime data from Police.uk for the area within one mile of the property address. The data is broken down by crime category so you can see the composition of recorded incidents rather than a single total figure.
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Crime by category
Recorded incidents are broken down by type, including anti-social behaviour, burglary, vehicle crime, violent offences and others from the Police.uk dataset.
Anti-social behaviour
Burglary
Vehicle crime
Violent and sexual offences
Criminal damage and arson
Other categories from Police.uk
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Local context
The figures relate to a one mile radius around the specific property address, giving you a sense of the immediate neighbourhood rather than a wide area average.
Six months of recorded data
One mile radius from the address
Based on Police.uk public dataset
Alongside 12 other property checks
How to use crime information when researching a property
Crime statistics are most useful when you have no existing knowledge of an area. If you are considering a property in a city or town you have never visited, knowing whether the immediate neighbourhood has a high number of recorded incidents in certain categories helps you form appropriate questions before a viewing and decide how thoroughly to research the area.
They are less useful in isolation. A neighbourhood with a higher number of recorded incidents may feel welcoming, well-maintained and actively watched over by residents. A neighbourhood with low recorded figures may have issues that are simply not being reported. The statistics reflect what has been recorded by the police, not a complete picture of daily life.
We suggest using the crime information in South Facing Garden alongside a visit to the area at different times of day, conversations with local residents if possible, and your own experience of the street and surroundings. The statistics are a prompt for further investigation, not a reason to dismiss or accept a property on their own.
Understanding the limitations of recorded crime data
Recorded crime figures have well-documented limitations that are worth understanding before drawing conclusions from them.
Not all crime is reported to the police. Incidents involving property that is not insured, incidents where victims do not believe reporting will lead to action, and incidents of a personal nature are all significantly underreported in the official figures. Anti-social behaviour in particular varies significantly in how it is recorded between different police forces and areas.
Population density also affects the interpretation of raw figures. A neighbourhood in a dense urban area with high footfall may have more recorded incidents than a quieter suburb simply because more people and more activity generates more opportunities for incidents. Comparing figures across very different types of neighbourhood requires care.
Finally, figures change over time. Six months of data provides a recent snapshot but may not reflect longer-term trends, recent changes in local circumstances, or the effect of specific local initiatives.
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Six months of Police.uk crime data by category, alongside garden direction, flood risk, broadband, EPC, schools and more. Free, no account required.
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Please note: Crime statistics in South Facing Garden are sourced from Police.uk and reflect recorded incidents only. They do not represent a complete picture of all crime in an area. South Facing Garden does not label any neighbourhood as safe or unsafe based on recorded crime figures. Always visit an area yourself and use crime data as one input among several.
South Facing Garden includes six months of Police.uk crime data within one mile of any UK residential address. Enter the address and the property report shows recorded crime figures broken down by category, alongside a neighbourhood context score. This is a useful starting point when researching an area before arranging a viewing.
The report draws on Police.uk data which categorises recorded crime into types including anti-social behaviour, burglary, criminal damage and arson, drugs, robbery, shoplifting, theft from vehicles, vehicle crime, violent and sexual offences, and other crime. The breakdown helps you understand what type of incidents are recorded nearby rather than seeing a single total figure.
Crime statistics provide useful context about recorded incidents in an area, but they should not be used as the only measure of whether somewhere feels right for you. Recorded crime figures do not capture unreported incidents. They vary by the size of the area, population density and the local policing approach. Two areas with similar figures may feel very different. We recommend using the data as one input alongside your own experience of visiting the area at different times.
Not all crime is reported to the police, and not all reported crime is recorded. Recording practices vary between forces and over time. Some categories, particularly those relating to anti-social behaviour, may be reported very differently in similar areas depending on local factors. The figures show what has been recorded, not a complete picture of all incidents.
Rarely. Estate agents are not required to disclose crime statistics for an area, and listings focus on the positive attributes of a property. Crime data is publicly available via Police.uk, but extracting and contextualising it for a specific address takes time. South Facing Garden includes it automatically in every property report so you have the information before deciding whether to arrange a viewing.
Yes. Crime statistics are useful context but a visit to the area is irreplaceable. We suggest visiting at different times of day and on a weekday as well as a weekend to get a realistic sense of the neighbourhood. Talk to people in the area if possible. The statistics in South Facing Garden are a starting point for your research, not a substitute for your own judgement.
South Facing Garden
Research any UK property before viewing
Crime data, garden direction, flood risk, broadband, schools, EPC and more, all from a single UK address. Free, no account required.