Frequently asked questions
Questions about Rules for You
Find out what the public appeal research covers, what a refusal review costs, whether ordering is open, how similar appeals are used and what the service cannot tell you.
01
Public appeal research
What can I use for free?
You can browse planning appeals, council and planning authority records, and planning inspector records for free without an account. You can also search published appeal decision passages after signing in, with no payment card or search fee.
Where do the appeal records come from?
The appeal records and decision passages come from official Planning Inspectorate casework for England. Where an official case source is available, the record provides a route to it so you can check the decision for yourself.
Does Rules for You cover all of the UK?
No. The public records and refusal-review research cover England. Planning systems differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
02
Reviewing a refusal
What does the complimentary refusal review include?
The refusal review price is currently £0, but ordering is closed. When complimentary ordering opens, it will include one review of one refusal notice or officer report and one search for similar appeal evidence. No card or payment will be required.
What can I add to a refusal review?
Start with the council’s exact refusal reasons from the decision notice or officer report. You can also add the site postcode and choose whether the search must stay local or within the same planning authority.
What if no useful appeals match?
When complimentary ordering opens, a completed review could legitimately find no sufficiently useful matches. The review price would remain £0 whether or not useful matches were found.
Is my refusal kept private?
Before you log in, the encrypted refusal draft remains claimable for up to 24 hours and is removed by the next scheduled cleanup if you do not claim it. After you set up a workspace, it is attached to that private planning record. It is not published in the appeals database or placed in a search URL.
03
Using similar appeals
Does a similar allowed appeal mean mine will succeed?
No. Similar wording is a research starting point, not a prediction. The review highlights similarities in the proposals and reasoning so you can inspect the full decisions and the important factual differences.
Will Rules for You tell me whether to appeal or resubmit?
No. Rules for You helps you compare source evidence and identify factual differences. It does not predict your prospects, choose an appeal over an amended application or replace professional planning or legal advice.
Start with the evidence