Data sources & licences

Every report states whether sections use live public data or demonstration data. This page explains what each source can and cannot tell you.

Feature rollout checklist

Hidden features stay off the user UI until configured. Set the env keys below in .env.local, then restart — no code changes needed to turn them back on.

To do (3)

Broadband signal (Ofcom)
hidden from users
Postcode-level broadband context in reports and connectivity priority.
Env keys
- OFCOM_API_KEY
Steps
1. Register at api.ofcom.org.uk and copy your subscription key
2. Set OFCOM_API_KEY in .env.local
3. Ensure OFCOM_BROADBAND_ENABLED is not false
4. Restart the dev server
Unlocks in UI
- · Broadband card in Nearby everyday life
- · Connectivity priority in search & Area Finder
- · Broadband row on area candidate cards
Official signup / docs
Mobile coverage (Ofcom)
hidden from users
Optional postcode-level mobile coverage in neighbourhood reports.
Env keys
- OFCOM_API_KEY
- OFCOM_MOBILE_ENABLED=true
Steps
1. Set OFCOM_API_KEY (same Ofcom subscription)
2. Set OFCOM_MOBILE_ENABLED=true
3. Restart the dev server
Unlocks in UI
- · Mobile coverage card in Nearby everyday life
Official signup / docs
Driving commute estimates (OpenRouteService)
hidden from users
Driving-minute filters and workplace band suggestions in Area Finder.
Env keys
- TRAVEL_PROVIDER=openrouteservice
- TRAVEL_API_KEY
Steps
1. Sign up at openrouteservice.org and create an API key
2. Set TRAVEL_PROVIDER=openrouteservice
3. Set TRAVEL_API_KEY in .env.local
4. Restart the dev server
Unlocks in UI
- · Driving commute mode in Area Finder
- · Max commute minutes filter
- · Suggest nearby areas by driving bands
Official signup / docs

Enabled (4)

Live public data (reports & compare)
Replace demonstration data with real EPC, Land Registry, planning, flood and crime APIs.
Everyday amenities (Overpass)
Mapped shops, pharmacies, parks and similar near a postcode.
Transport access (NaPTAN)
Nearest rail stations and bus stops from a local NaPTAN snapshot.
Nearby schools (DfE GIAS)
Mapped education providers with official record links.

EPC open data register (MHCLG)

Used for: Energy performance certificates, ratings and recommendations.
Data level: Exact property when matched; otherwise postcode-level.
Update frequency: Register updates daily; certificates may be up to 10 years old.
Limitations: A certificate may not reflect recent improvements. Absence in the register does not mean no certificate exists. Requires EPC_API_TOKEN (or EPC_API_KEY alias) in live mode.
Licence: Open Government Licence — subject to register terms.

Official source

HM Land Registry Price Paid Data

Used for: Historical completed residential transactions nearby.
Data level: Nearby area / postcode sector — not a specific home.
Update frequency: Typically updated monthly.
Limitations: Historical sold prices are not a valuation. Some transaction types are excluded. Data may lag.
Licence: Open Government Licence.

Official source

Planning designation data (England)

Used for: Conservation areas, Article 4 directions and related constraint signals.
Data level: Area-level indication — not a planning decision.
Update frequency: Varies by dataset; national extracts updated periodically.
Limitations: Cannot replace a local authority planning search or listed building check for the exact property.
Licence: Open Government Licence / dataset-specific terms.

Official source

Environment Agency flood monitoring

Used for: River and sea flood alert area proximity signals.
Data level: Area-level — not long-term property flood risk.
Update frequency: Alert areas may change; live checks use current monitoring data.
Limitations: Does not assess surface-water risk at property level. Official long-term checks remain essential.
Licence: Environment Agency open data terms.

Official source

Police.uk open crime data

Used for: Reported incident patterns within approximately one mile.
Data level: Area-level — describes neighbourhood patterns, not a specific home.
Update frequency: Monthly releases; period shown in each report.
Limitations: Reports approximate locations. Patterns are not safety verdicts.
Licence: Open Government Licence.

Official source

Ofcom Connected Nations Broadband API (optional)

Not enabled in this deployment

Used for: Postcode-level broadband availability signal in property reports.
Data level: Postcode-level — not exact property or line speed.
Update frequency: Periodic Connected Nations releases via official API.
Limitations: Requires OFCOM_API_KEY (server-side only). We call the official API — we do not scrape checker.ofcom.org.uk or bulk-download checker data. Normalised postcode results are cached up to 30 days to reduce duplicate API calls; not a speed or availability guarantee. Verify with Ofcom and your chosen provider.
Licence: Ofcom API terms of use.

Official source

Ofcom Connected Nations Mobile API (optional)

Not enabled in this deployment

Used for: Postcode-level mobile coverage signal in property reports when explicitly enabled.
Data level: Postcode-level — not exact in-property coverage.
Update frequency: Periodic Connected Nations releases via official API.
Limitations: Requires OFCOM_API_KEY and OFCOM_MOBILE_ENABLED=true (server-side only). Normalised postcode results cached up to 30 days. Not a coverage guarantee — verify with Ofcom, your network provider and at the property.
Licence: Ofcom API terms of use.

Official source

GOV.UK Get Information about Schools (verification)

Used for: Official school lookup — linked when OSM school data is unavailable or for manual verification.
Data level: Official records — not integrated as live API in this MVP.
Update frequency: DfE/GIAS updates.
Limitations: We do not rank schools or infer catchments. Admissions can change — verify with the school and local authority.
Licence: Open Government Licence.

Official source

OpenStreetMap Nominatim (Compare Areas place search — optional, low-traffic only)

Used for: Resolving town, street and landmark queries for area comparisons when explicitly enabled.
Data level: Approximate area — radius varies by query type.
Update frequency: Community-maintained; cached server-side.
Limitations: Production default is LOCATION_SEARCH_PROVIDER=disabled — postcode and outcode compare still work. If nominatim: requires NOMINATIM_USER_AGENT, server-side caching and rate limiting (~1 req/s on public instance). No autocomplete, no bulk/systematic geocoding. Not suitable for high traffic — prefer disabled, OS Places, a paid geocoder, or self-hosted Nominatim.
Licence: ODbL — © OpenStreetMap contributors; Nominatim usage policy applies.

Official source

Area Finder — journey checks (external)

Used for: Reminders to check exact journeys using National Rail, Google Maps, TfL, Traveline or your preferred travel app.
Data level: User-initiated external links — not calculated by Postnow.
Update frequency: N/A
Limitations: This MVP does not integrate paid routing providers (TravelTime, Google Routes, TransportAPI, etc.) and does not show exact journey times, isochrones, or live traffic.
Licence: Third-party services — see each operator or app.

Official source

Area Finder — NaPTAN transport access (optional)

Used for: Nearest rail stations and bus stops for transport access signals from a local CSV snapshot — also used in report Nearby everyday life when enabled.
Data level: Area-level proximity — not timetables, routes or journey times.
Update frequency: Local snapshot refreshed on a schedule (e.g. weekly import).
Limitations: Production default is TRANSPORT_ACCESS_PROVIDER=disabled. Walking distances are approximate straight-line estimates. Check operators for live services and timetables.
Licence: Open Government Licence.

Official source

Area Finder — amenities via OpenStreetMap (optional)

Used for: Everyday amenities such as shops, pharmacies and parks when AMENITIES_PROVIDER=overpass — also used in report Nearby everyday life when enabled.
Data level: Area-level map features — may be incomplete.
Update frequency: Community-maintained; cached server-side (24h–7d).
Limitations: Production default is AMENITIES_PROVIDER=disabled. Requires explicit OVERPASS_ENDPOINT — public overpass-api.de is MVP/low-traffic only. All Overpass calls are server-side with caching and rate limiting. Not a completeness guarantee.

Official source

ONS / Census aggregate context (optional)

Used for: Neutral demographic charts at LSOA/MSOA level when DEMOGRAPHICS_PROVIDER=ons.
Data level: Aggregate area statistics — not individuals.
Update frequency: Census / ONS release cycles.
Limitations: Production default is DEMOGRAPHICS_PROVIDER=disabled. Not used to rank or recommend areas. No filters by ethnicity, income or occupation.
Licence: Open Government Licence.

Official source

postcodes.io (postcode & outcode lookup)

Used for: UK postcode geocoding, outcode districts, and Compare Areas postcode→locality derivation (ONS built-up area `bua`, parish, admin district fields).
Data level: Compare converts full postcodes to town/locality area signals where possible; outcode remains district-level.
Update frequency: Updated as Royal Mail postcode data changes.
Limitations: Built-up area and parish labels may not match everyday estate-agent naming or exact neighbourhood identity. Postcodes near boundaries can sit in overlapping areas. Street-level queries need a separate place search provider.
Licence: Open data — see postcodes.io terms.

Official source

GIAS — Get Information about Schools (optional)

Used for: Official nearby education providers when SCHOOLS_PROVIDER=official and a local GIAS snapshot is imported.
Data level: Establishment records with approximate distance — not rankings.
Update frequency: Local snapshot refreshed on a schedule (e.g. weekly import from GOV.UK extract).
Limitations: Production default is SCHOOLS_PROVIDER=disabled. No school scores, catchment guarantees or admission predictions. Inspection links point to Ofsted — outcomes can change.
Licence: Open Government Licence.

Official source

OpenStreetMap (schools, when used)

Used for: Nearby education providers mapped from community geographic data when SCHOOLS_PROVIDER=osm.
Data level: Map features with approximate distance — may be incomplete or out of date.
Update frequency: Community-maintained; cached server-side.
Limitations: Community map data only — not official admissions data, not a school ranking. Overpass requests are server-side with caching. GOV.UK links provided for verification.

Official source

See also legal & disclaimer, privacy, and the feature rollout checklist above. Questions about data or sources? support@postnow.co.uk.