If there isnt enough to think of already when buying a new home, I dont expect that you have considered the danger of Radon. Neither had I, until my solicitor brought it to my attention and I began to look into the matter in some detail.

So what is Radon, and where is it prevalent? Radon is a radio active gas that does occur naturally and is surprisingly the second biggest cause of lung cancer deaths in Great Britain, after cigarettes.

Large areas of the south-west of England are based on rock formations that contain and generate unusually large amounts of Radon. This can mean that the gas poses a potential hazard for property owners in many areas of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. So it makes sense if you are buying a house in these areas that you take precautions and consequently the problem can be eliminated.

Radon occurs naturally and it derives from decaying radium, which is itself a product of decaying uranium in the rocks and soil itself. In the south-west of England there is a band of rock that runs from near Taunton in Somerset, right down to Penzance in the west and beyond, but there are also many other areas at high risk in the south-west of England.

The gas can build up in houses to amounts in excess of what is called the action level, namely 200 Becquerels per cubic metre.

The good news is that there are ways to eliminate the Radon problem in domestic properties and it doesnt cost a fortune to do so. These include inserting an underfloor sump from which the gas is then pumped away from the house. The average cost of this is around 1,000, or $1,750, and also by improving the ventilation under the floors, usual costs around 500 or $875. A simple Radon test pack costs around fifty quid. If you are considering buying a new house, or indeed an older property in the south-west of England it is a good idea to check whether these anti Radon measures are already built in. They often are in these areas, though you should still check to be safe.

And if you are selling a property in these areas it is as well to have checks carried out too, because high levels can hold up house sales, or you may be faced with a proportion of the sales total deducted and held in trust, until a result is known, and the problem rectified.

In Great Britain you can find further information of the Radon problem from the Health Protection Agency who publish a booklet entitled Radon, a guide for homebuyers and sellers, and you can obtain further information of this booklet at their website which is www. hpa.org.uk/radiation

This problem occurs in many parts of the world of course, and in many areas it is little thought of, never mind investigated and dealt with, so if you are buying a second property in an unusual area or country, it might be a good idea to ask your legal team to investigate the problem thoroughly before contracts are signed.