Comparison
HomeBuyerCheck vs CheckMyFile: Which Property Check Is Better?
Updated 29 May 2026
They do different jobs. HomeBuyerCheck is a property due-diligence report from £4.99 covering flood, ground risk, ownership and an AI buyer's verdict. CheckMyFile is a multi-agency credit report (around £14.99 a month after a free trial), not a property check. If you are buying a home and want to vet the property, you need HomeBuyerCheck.
HomeBuyerCheck vs CheckMyFile at a glance
| Provider | Price | What it checks | Free tier | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HomeBuyerCheck | Free, then £4.99 Premium / £6.99 Premium+ | Property: sales history, EPC, flood, crime, schools, council tax, plus ground risk, ownership and AI briefs on paid tiers | Yes, full free instant report | Instant |
| CheckMyFile | Around £14.99 a month after a free trial | Your personal credit file from multiple agencies (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion data) | Free trial only | Instant |
What HomeBuyerCheck does
HomeBuyerCheck is a property report for buyers in England and Wales. You enter an address and get a free instant report covering sales history, EPC, flood risk, crime, schools and council tax band.
The £4.99 Premium tier adds British Geological Survey ground risk, radon, listed and conservation overlays, HM Land Registry CCOD/OCOD ownership, a Companies House owner check, the Building Safety Regulator Higher-Risk Building register, Property Chamber tribunal history and an AI buyer's verdict. The £6.99 Premium+ tier adds AI solicitor, surveyor and mortgage briefs.
What CheckMyFile does
CheckMyFile is a credit reporting service. It pulls data from multiple credit reference agencies into a single multi-agency view of your personal credit file, and is typically billed at around £14.99 a month after a free trial.
It is genuinely useful before a mortgage application, because lenders check your credit. But it tells you nothing about the property itself: no flood risk, no ground stability, no ownership, no planning overlays.
Why people confuse the two
Some buyers search for a 'CheckMyFile alternative' expecting a property report. If that is you, what you actually want is property due diligence, not a credit file.
A credit report helps you get the mortgage. A property report helps you decide whether the home is worth buying at all. They are complementary, not competitors.
Who each one suits
- Choose HomeBuyerCheck if you want to vet the property before making an offer or paying for full legal searches.
- Choose CheckMyFile if you want to monitor your personal credit ahead of a mortgage application.
- Many buyers sensibly use both: CheckMyFile for their credit, HomeBuyerCheck for the property.
The honest verdict
These are not rivals. If your goal is to understand the property, HomeBuyerCheck is the right tool and starts free, with a £4.99 paid tier. If your goal is your own creditworthiness for a mortgage, CheckMyFile is the right tool.
For most home buyers, the cheapest way to triage a property before committing to £250 to £450 of conveyancing searches is a £4.99 HomeBuyerCheck Premium report.
Check any UK property before you offer
Free instant report; Premium from £4.99 adds ownership, ground risk and AI buyer's verdict.
Frequently asked questions
Is CheckMyFile a property check?
No. CheckMyFile is a multi-agency personal credit report. It does not assess the property's flood risk, ground stability, ownership or planning history. For that you need a property due-diligence report such as HomeBuyerCheck.
Is HomeBuyerCheck cheaper than CheckMyFile?
Yes. HomeBuyerCheck has a free instant report and a one-off £4.99 Premium tier. CheckMyFile is a subscription at around £14.99 a month after its free trial.
Can I use both?
Many buyers do. CheckMyFile monitors your personal credit ahead of a mortgage, while HomeBuyerCheck vets the property you are buying. They cover completely different things.
Does HomeBuyerCheck cover the whole UK?
HomeBuyerCheck covers England and Wales, drawing on data from the Environment Agency, Coal Authority, HM Land Registry, the British Geological Survey, Police.uk and the schools database (GIAS).
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