How we check our figures

A property guide is only as good as its numbers. These are the rules we follow for every calculator, guide and video.

Our editor, Daniil Shumko, is accountable for every page and signs off each figure before it's published.

1. Official sources first

Tax rates, thresholds and dates come from the body that sets them: GOV.UK and HMRC for the UK and England, Revenue Scotland, the Welsh Revenue Authority and GOV.WALES, the Bank of England for Bank Rate, and the ONS and HM Land Registry for prices and rents. We link to the exact page we used. Market figures from lenders or property portals are always named, because different indices measure different things.

2. Tested calculators

Our calculators share one set of code with the system that checks our videos. Each calculator is tested automatically against the worked examples the tax authorities publish, and against edge cases such as prices exactly on a band boundary. If a test fails, nothing is published.

3. Every figure is dated

Each calculator and guide shows when its figures were last checked against the source. Site-wide, rates were last checked on 3 November 2026. We recheck after every Budget, fiscal event and Bank of England decision that affects our pages.

4. Announced is not the same as law

When the government announces a change that Parliament hasn't passed yet, we say "set to" or "announced" and label it clearly. We update the wording when it becomes law, or if the plan changes.

5. Worked examples you can follow

We show the sum, not just the answer, so you can check it yourself. Examples state their assumptions, such as which tax band applies, and what they leave out.

6. Reviews

We ask a qualified professional, such as a chartered accountant, to review guides on complex tax topics. When a guide has been reviewed, it names the reviewer at the top. A guide without a named reviewer has been checked by us against its sources only.

7. Use of AI

We use software, including AI tools, to help research, draft and produce our content. No figure is published unless it has been checked against its official source and, for calculations, by our tested code. A person approves everything before it goes live.

8. Corrections

If we get something wrong, we fix it quickly and note significant corrections on the page. Tell us at support@housemaths.com.

9. Independence

We don't accept payment to cover a product, lender or company. If we ever earn money from a link or partner, we'll label it clearly next to the link and explain it here.