Factors like crime, pollution and road collisions can affect the property market in your local area
Properties in higher-risk areas may face longer selling times(Image: Jon Corken/Grimsby Live)
The 10 ‘riskiest’ areas to buy and sell a home in the UK have now been revealed. A new study has shared the ‘hidden dangers’ shaping the property market, with five key factors which are putting people off buying homes.
Sell House Fast has revealed the riskiest places to buy and sell properties, based on factors such as crime rates, flood risk, air pollution levels, road collision rates, and coastal erosion risk.
These risks can shape how attractive an area feels to buyers, how easy a home is to insure, and how straightforward a sale may be when the time comes. The study looked at 152 areas and ranked the five measures that can affect day-to-day living and long-term property appeal.
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These factors have practical implications for homeowners, as properties in higher-risk areas may face longer selling times, more aggressive price negotiations, and a smaller pool of confident buyers.
North East Lincolnshire has been named England’s riskiest place to buy and sell property, scoring 8.15 out of 10 – nearly double the average of 4.47.
The area, which includes the towns of Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Immingham, has local crime rates among the 20 highest in England at 116.7 per 1,000 people, and nearly 0.8 per cent of homes are exposed to coastal erosion.
Flooding is also a danger, with the area sitting on the Humber Estuary, where local flood planning focuses on risks from the sea, drainage, and surface water issues.
Portsmouth pairs high crime and flood exposure. The city records 114.3 crimes per 1,000 people, well above the national average, while 4.4 per cent of properties are classified as high flood risk. Road collisions are also higher than the England benchmark at 605 per billion vehicle miles.
Nearby Southampton ranks third. Road safety and crime are among the clearest pressure points here, as the area records 120.9 crimes per 1,000 people, while road collisions climb to 754 per billion vehicle miles.
At the other end of the ranking, Rutland is England’s lowest-risk area overall, with a score of 1.17 out of 10. Meanwhile, Hull has the highest flood exposure in the study, with 16.8 per cent of properties at high risk.
Jack Malnick, Managing Director at Sell House Fast, outlines what this ranking could mean for UK homeowners: “A higher-risk ranking does not mean homes in these areas will not sell. It does mean buyers may look more closely, ask more questions, and compare those locations more critically against lower-risk alternatives.
“That is where property value and saleability come into the conversation. When several risks sit above average at once, buyers may start to factor them into what they are willing to pay and how much compromise they are prepared to accept. In a more cautious market, that can lead to longer selling periods, sharper negotiation, or a smaller pool of interested buyers.
“For homeowners who need a faster or more certain sale, understanding that wider backdrop matters. A property does not exist in isolation. The area around it can shape how it is judged just as much as the home itself.”
The top 10 riskiest areas to buy and sell property in England revealed:
1. North East Lincolnshire
Recorded crime (per 1,000 people): 116.7
Properties at high flood risk: 6.8%
Air pollution level (PM2.5): 7.3
Road collisions (per billion vehicle miles): 583
Properties at risk of coastal erosion: 0.8%
Overall risk score /10: 8.15
2. Portsmouth
Recorded crime (per 1,000 people): 114.3
Properties at high flood risk: 4.4%
Air pollution level (PM2.5): 6.6
Road collisions (per billion vehicle miles): 605
Properties at risk of coastal erosion: 0.2%
Overall risk score /10: 7.38
3. Southampton
Recorded crime (per 1,000 people): 120.9
Properties at high flood risk: 2.1%
Air pollution level (PM2.5): 6.5
Road collisions (per billion vehicle miles): 754
Properties at risk of coastal erosion: 0.9%
Overall risk score /10: 7.19
Hull has the highest number of properties at risk of flooding(Image: Getty Images)
4. Hull
Recorded crime (per 1,000 people): 118.9
Properties at high flood risk: 16.8%
Air pollution level (PM2.5): 7.4
Road collisions (per billion vehicle miles): 833
Properties at risk of coastal erosion: 0%
Overall risk score /10: 6.88
5. Southend-on-sea
Recorded crime (per 1,000 people): 94.4
Properties at high flood risk: 0.9%
Air pollution level (PM2.5): 7.3
Road collisions (per billion vehicle miles): 699
Properties at risk of coastal erosion: 1.1%
Overall risk score /10: 6.61
6. Lewisham
Recorded crime (per 1,000 people): 94.4
Properties at high flood risk: 2.8%
Air pollution level (PM2.5): 9.0
Road collisions (per billion vehicle miles): 1,631
Properties at risk of coastal erosion: 0%
Overall risk score /10: 6.45
7. Leicester
Recorded crime (per 1,000 people): 111.6
Properties at high flood risk: 6.2%
Air pollution level (PM2.5): 7.9
Road collisions (per billion vehicle miles): 438
Properties at risk of coastal erosion: 0%
Overall risk score /10: 6.39
Nottingham is amongst the riskiest areas to buy and sell a home(Image: Getty Images)
8. Nottingham
Recorded crime (per 1,000 people): 120.8
Properties at high flood risk: 3.0%
Air pollution level (PM2.5): 7.7
Road collisions (per billion vehicle miles): 711
Properties at risk of coastal erosion: 0%
Overall risk score /10: 6.39
9. Liverpool
Recorded crime (per 1,000 people): 121.6
Properties at high flood risk: 0.7%
Air pollution level (PM2.5): 6.7
Road collisions (per billion vehicle miles): 617
Properties at risk of coastal erosion: 0.3%
Overall risk score /10: 6.32
10. Brighton and Hove
Recorded crime (per 1,000 people): 104.8
Properties at high flood risk: 0.8%
Air pollution level (PM2.5): 6.7
Road collisions (per billion vehicle miles): 715
Properties at risk of coastal erosion: 0.7%
Overall risk score /10: 6.3