'I am in the process of buying a house, but the environmental search has just revealed radon at the property. Is this something to worry about?'

Radon is a radioactive gas and overexposure can have health implications. But it is also naturally occurring. It may not be necessary to withdraw your offer if radon is detected in small quantities by the conveyancer.

Initially you should ask the vendor’s solicitor if they, or the vendor, were aware of any previous radon testing. If the property is relatively new, precautions may be in place to stop the gas from entering the house.

If these checks are not in place, consider a “radon bond”. This is an agreement between the buyer and the seller, where a sum of money would be held back by the buyer’s conveyancer upon completion.

A thorough radon test can then be carried out over a couple of months. If precautions are recommended, the cost would be covered by the bond. One simple solution can be replacing old air bricks with modern ones.

If the tests reveal that there was no cause for concern, the bond would be returned to the seller.