diff --git a/app/src/frontend/apiHelpers.ts b/app/src/frontend/apiHelpers.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b35ecd7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/frontend/apiHelpers.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+type JsonReviver = (name: string, value: any) => any;
+
+export function apiGet(path: string, options?: {
+    jsonReviver?: JsonReviver
+}): Promise<any> {
+    return apiRequest(path, 'GET', null, options);
+}
+
+export function apiPost(path: string, data?: object, options?: {
+    jsonReviver?: JsonReviver
+}): Promise<any> {
+    return apiRequest(path, 'POST', data, options);
+}
+
+export function apiDelete(path: string, options?: {
+    jsonReviver?: JsonReviver
+}): Promise<any> {
+    return apiRequest(path, 'DELETE', null, options);
+}
+
+async function apiRequest(
+    path: string,
+    method: 'GET' | 'POST' | 'DELETE',
+    data?: object,
+    options?: {
+        jsonReviver?: JsonReviver
+    }
+): Promise<any> {
+    const res = await fetch(path, {
+        method: method,
+        credentials: 'same-origin',
+        headers: {
+            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
+        },
+        body: data == undefined ? null : JSON.stringify(data),
+    });
+
+    const reviver = options == undefined ? undefined : options.jsonReviver;
+    if (reviver != undefined) {
+        return JSON.parse(await res.text(), reviver);
+    } else {
+        return await res.json();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/src/frontend/building/data-container.tsx b/app/src/frontend/building/data-container.tsx
index 13b2cc27..f84d2ccd 100644
--- a/app/src/frontend/building/data-container.tsx
+++ b/app/src/frontend/building/data-container.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import React, { Fragment } from 'react';
 import { NavLink, Redirect } from 'react-router-dom';
 
+import { apiPost } from '../apiHelpers';
 import ErrorBox from '../components/error-box';
 import InfoBox from '../components/info-box';
 import { compareObjects } from '../helpers';
@@ -162,15 +163,10 @@ const withCopyEdit = (WrappedComponent: React.ComponentType<CategoryViewProps>)
          */
         async handleLike(like: boolean) {
             try {
-                const res = await fetch(`/api/buildings/${this.props.building.building_id}/like.json`, {
-                    method: 'POST',
-                    headers:{
-                        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
-                    },
-                    credentials: 'same-origin',
-                    body: JSON.stringify({like: like})
-                });
-                const data = await res.json();
+                const data = await apiPost(
+                    `/api/buildings/${this.props.building.building_id}/like.json`,
+                    {like: like}
+                );
                 
                 if (data.error) {
                     this.setState({error: data.error});
@@ -188,15 +184,10 @@ const withCopyEdit = (WrappedComponent: React.ComponentType<CategoryViewProps>)
             this.setState({error: undefined});
 
             try {
-                const res = await fetch(`/api/buildings/${this.props.building.building_id}.json`, {
-                    method: 'POST',
-                    body: JSON.stringify(this.state.buildingEdits),
-                    headers:{
-                        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
-                    },
-                    credentials: 'same-origin'
-                });
-                const data = await res.json();
+                const data = await apiPost(
+                    `/api/buildings/${this.props.building.building_id}.json`,
+                    this.state.buildingEdits
+                );
                 
                 if (data.error) {
                     this.setState({error: data.error});
diff --git a/app/src/frontend/building/edit-history/edit-history.tsx b/app/src/frontend/building/edit-history/edit-history.tsx
index c6a160b6..628bd2a1 100644
--- a/app/src/frontend/building/edit-history/edit-history.tsx
+++ b/app/src/frontend/building/edit-history/edit-history.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 
 import './edit-history.css';
 
+import { apiGet } from '../../apiHelpers';
 import { Building } from '../../models/building';
 import { EditHistoryEntry } from '../../models/edit-history-entry';
 import ContainerHeader from '../container-header';
@@ -17,10 +18,9 @@ const EditHistory: React.FunctionComponent<EditHistoryProps> = (props) => {
 
     useEffect(() => {
         const fetchData = async () => {
-            const res = await fetch(`/api/buildings/${props.building.building_id}/history.json`);
-            const data = await res.json();
+            const {history} = await apiGet(`/api/buildings/${props.building.building_id}/history.json`);
 
-            setHistory(data.history);
+            setHistory(history);
         };
 
         if (props.building != undefined) { // only call fn if there is a building provided
diff --git a/app/src/frontend/map-app.tsx b/app/src/frontend/map-app.tsx
index f79bad1b..d1923093 100644
--- a/app/src/frontend/map-app.tsx
+++ b/app/src/frontend/map-app.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { Redirect, Route, RouteComponentProps, Switch } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { parseJsonOrDefault } from '../helpers';
 import { strictParseInt } from '../parse';
 
+import { apiGet, apiPost } from './apiHelpers';
 import BuildingView from './building/building-view';
 import Categories from './building/categories';
 import { EditHistory } from './building/edit-history/edit-history';
@@ -64,16 +65,9 @@ class MapApp extends React.Component<MapAppProps, MapAppState> {
 
     async fetchLatestRevision() {
         try {
-            const res = await fetch(`/api/buildings/revision`, {
-                method: 'GET',
-                headers: {
-                    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
-                },
-                credentials: 'same-origin'
-            });
-            const data = await res.json();
+            const {latestRevisionId} = await apiGet(`/api/buildings/revision`);
             
-            this.increaseRevision(data.latestRevisionId);
+            this.increaseRevision(latestRevisionId);
         } catch(error) {
             console.error(error);
         }
@@ -89,27 +83,9 @@ class MapApp extends React.Component<MapAppProps, MapAppState> {
                 // TODO: simplify API calls, create helpers for fetching data
                 const buildingId = strictParseInt(this.props.match.params.building);
                 let [building, building_uprns, building_like] = await Promise.all([
-                    fetch(`/api/buildings/${buildingId}.json`, {
-                        method: 'GET',
-                        headers: {
-                            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
-                        },
-                        credentials: 'same-origin'
-                    }).then(res => res.json()),
-                    fetch(`/api/buildings/${buildingId}/uprns.json`, {
-                        method: 'GET',
-                        headers: {
-                            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
-                        },
-                        credentials: 'same-origin'
-                    }).then(res => res.json()),
-                    fetch(`/api/buildings/${buildingId}/like.json`, {
-                        method: 'GET',
-                        headers: {
-                            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
-                        }, 
-                        credentials: 'same-origin'
-                    }).then(res => res.json())
+                    apiGet(`/api/buildings/${buildingId}.json`),
+                    apiGet(`/api/buildings/${buildingId}/uprns.json`),
+                    apiGet(`/api/buildings/${buildingId}/like.json`)
                 ]);
 
                 building.uprns = building_uprns.uprns;
@@ -158,15 +134,8 @@ class MapApp extends React.Component<MapAppProps, MapAppState> {
 
         this.increaseRevision(building.revision_id);
         // get UPRNs and update
-        fetch(`/api/buildings/${building.building_id}/uprns.json`, {
-            method: 'GET',
-            headers: {
-                'Content-Type': 'application/json'
-            },
-            credentials: 'same-origin'
-        }).then(
-            res => res.json()
-        ).then((res) => {
+        apiGet(`/api/buildings/${building.building_id}/uprns.json`)
+        .then((res) => {
             if (res.error) {
                 console.error(res);
             } else {
@@ -179,15 +148,8 @@ class MapApp extends React.Component<MapAppProps, MapAppState> {
         });
 
         // get if liked and update
-        fetch(`/api/buildings/${building.building_id}/like.json`, {
-            method: 'GET',
-            headers: {
-                'Content-Type': 'application/json'
-            },
-            credentials: 'same-origin'
-        }).then(
-            res => res.json()
-        ).then((res) => {
+        apiGet(`/api/buildings/${building.building_id}/like.json`)
+        .then((res) => {
             if (res.error) {
                 console.error(res);
             } else {
@@ -225,37 +187,21 @@ class MapApp extends React.Component<MapAppProps, MapAppState> {
     }
 
     likeBuilding(buildingId) {
-        fetch(`/api/buildings/${buildingId}/like.json`, {
-            method: 'POST',
-            headers: {
-                'Content-Type': 'application/json'
-            },
-            credentials: 'same-origin',
-            body: JSON.stringify({ like: true })
-        }).then(
-            res => res.json()
-        ).then(function (res) {
+        apiPost(`/api/buildings/${buildingId}/like.json`, { like: true })
+        .then(res => {
             if (res.error) {
                 console.error({ error: res.error });
             } else {
                 this.increaseRevision(res.revision_id);
             }
-        }.bind(this)).catch(
+        }).catch(
             (err) => console.error({ error: err })
         );
     }
 
     updateBuilding(buildingId, data) {
-        fetch(`/api/buildings/${buildingId}.json`, {
-            method: 'POST',
-            body: JSON.stringify(data),
-            headers: {
-                'Content-Type': 'application/json'
-            },
-            credentials: 'same-origin'
-        }).then(
-            res => res.json()
-        ).then(res => {
+        apiPost(`/api/buildings/${buildingId}.json`, data)
+        .then(res => {
             if (res.error) {
                 console.error({ error: res.error });
             } else {
diff --git a/app/src/frontend/map/map.tsx b/app/src/frontend/map/map.tsx
index 353b42b7..46eee97a 100644
--- a/app/src/frontend/map/map.tsx
+++ b/app/src/frontend/map/map.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { AttributionControl, GeoJSON, Map, TileLayer, ZoomControl } from 'react-
 import 'leaflet/dist/leaflet.css';
 import './map.css';
 
+import { apiGet } from '../apiHelpers';
 import { HelpIcon } from '../components/icons';
 import { Building } from '../models/building';
 
@@ -58,13 +59,9 @@ class ColouringMap extends Component<ColouringMapProps, ColouringMapState> {
 
     handleClick(e) {
         const mode = this.props.mode;
-        const lat = e.latlng.lat;
-        const lng = e.latlng.lng;
-        fetch(
-            '/api/buildings/locate?lat='+lat+'&lng='+lng
-        ).then(
-            (res) => res.json()
-        ).then(function(data){
+        const { lat, lng } = e.latlng;
+        apiGet(`/api/buildings/locate?lat=${lat}&lng=${lng}`)
+        .then(data => {
             if (data && data.length){
                 const building = data[0];
                 if (mode === 'multi-edit') {
@@ -82,7 +79,7 @@ class ColouringMap extends Component<ColouringMapProps, ColouringMapState> {
                     this.props.selectBuilding(undefined);
                 }
             }
-        }.bind(this)).catch(
+        }).catch(
             (err) => console.error(err)
         );
     }
@@ -94,8 +91,8 @@ class ColouringMap extends Component<ColouringMapProps, ColouringMapState> {
     }
 
     async getBoundary() {
-        const res = await fetch('/geometries/boundary-detailed.geojson');
-        const data = await res.json() as GeoJsonObject;
+        const data = await apiGet('/geometries/boundary-detailed.geojson') as GeoJsonObject;
+
         this.setState({
             boundary: data
         });
diff --git a/app/src/frontend/map/search-box.tsx b/app/src/frontend/map/search-box.tsx
index 02945359..376628c9 100644
--- a/app/src/frontend/map/search-box.tsx
+++ b/app/src/frontend/map/search-box.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import React, { Component } from 'react';
 
 import './search-box.css';
 
+import { apiGet } from '../apiHelpers';
 import { SearchIcon } from '../components/icons';
 
 interface SearchResult {
@@ -96,11 +97,8 @@ class SearchBox extends Component<SearchBoxProps, SearchBoxState> {
             fetching: true
         });
 
-        fetch(
-            '/api/search?q='+this.state.q
-        ).then(
-            (res) => res.json()
-        ).then((data) => {
+        apiGet(`/api/search?q=${this.state.q}`)
+        .then((data) => {
             if (data && data.results){
                 this.setState({
                     results: data.results,
diff --git a/app/src/frontend/pages/changes.tsx b/app/src/frontend/pages/changes.tsx
index 2e4f6d8d..6f0d7cc5 100644
--- a/app/src/frontend/pages/changes.tsx
+++ b/app/src/frontend/pages/changes.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 
+import { apiGet } from '../apiHelpers';
 import { BuildingEditSummary } from '../building/edit-history/building-edit-summary';
 import InfoBox from '../components/info-box';
 import { EditHistoryEntry } from '../models/edit-history-entry';
@@ -9,10 +10,9 @@ const ChangesPage = () => {
 
     useEffect(() => {
         const fetchData = async () => {
-            const res = await fetch(`/api/history`);
-            const data = await res.json();
+            const {history} = await apiGet(`/api/history`);
 
-            setHistory(data.history);
+            setHistory(history);
         };
 
         fetchData();
diff --git a/app/src/frontend/pages/data-extracts.tsx b/app/src/frontend/pages/data-extracts.tsx
index 3482475f..a5f84eb8 100644
--- a/app/src/frontend/pages/data-extracts.tsx
+++ b/app/src/frontend/pages/data-extracts.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import React, { FunctionComponent } from 'react';
 import { Link } from 'react-router-dom';
 
 import { dateReviver } from '../../helpers';
+import { apiGet } from '../apiHelpers';
 
 
 interface ExtractViewModel {
@@ -28,11 +29,9 @@ export default class DataExtracts extends React.Component<{}, DataExtractsState>
     }
 
     async componentDidMount() {
-        const res = await fetch('/api/extracts');
-        const data = JSON.parse(await res.text(), dateReviver);
+        let data = await apiGet('/api/extracts', { jsonReviver: dateReviver});
         const extracts = (data.extracts as ExtractViewModel[])
-            .sort((a, b) => a.extracted_on.valueOf() - b.extracted_on.valueOf())
-            .reverse();
+            .sort((a, b) => b.extracted_on.valueOf() - a.extracted_on.valueOf());
 
 
 
diff --git a/app/src/frontend/user/login.tsx b/app/src/frontend/user/login.tsx
index ca36b5ce..99ebcc29 100644
--- a/app/src/frontend/user/login.tsx
+++ b/app/src/frontend/user/login.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import React, { Component } from 'react';
 import { Link, Redirect } from 'react-router-dom';
 
+import { apiGet, apiPost } from '../apiHelpers';
 import ErrorBox from '../components/error-box';
 import InfoBox from '../components/info-box';
 import SupporterLogos from '../components/supporter-logos';
@@ -39,24 +40,13 @@ class Login extends Component<LoginProps, any> {
         event.preventDefault();
         this.setState({error: undefined});
 
-        fetch('/api/login', {
-            method: 'POST',
-            body: JSON.stringify(this.state),
-            headers:{
-                'Content-Type': 'application/json'
-            },
-            credentials: 'same-origin'
-        }).then(
-            res => res.json()
-        ).then(function(res){
+        apiPost('/api/login', this.state)
+        .then(res => {
             if (res.error) {
                 this.setState({error: res.error});
             } else {
-                fetch('/api/users/me', {
-                    credentials: 'same-origin'
-                }).then(
-                    (res) => res.json()
-                ).then(user => {
+                apiGet('/api/users/me')
+                .then(user => {
                     if (user.error) {
                         this.setState({error: user.error});
                     } else {
@@ -66,7 +56,7 @@ class Login extends Component<LoginProps, any> {
                     (err) => this.setState({error: err})
                 );
             }
-        }.bind(this)).catch(
+        }).catch(
             (err) => this.setState({error: err})
         );
     }
diff --git a/app/src/frontend/user/my-account.tsx b/app/src/frontend/user/my-account.tsx
index b4676fbc..9dbd0f7b 100644
--- a/app/src/frontend/user/my-account.tsx
+++ b/app/src/frontend/user/my-account.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import React, { Component, FormEvent } from 'react';
 import { Link, Redirect } from 'react-router-dom';
 
+import { apiDelete, apiPost } from '../apiHelpers';
 import ConfirmationModal from '../components/confirmation-modal';
 import ErrorBox from '../components/error-box';
 import { User } from '../models/user';
@@ -32,12 +33,8 @@ class MyAccountPage extends Component<MyAccountPageProps, MyAccountPageState> {
         event.preventDefault();
         this.setState({error: undefined});
 
-        fetch('/api/logout', {
-            method: 'POST',
-            credentials: 'same-origin'
-        }).then(
-            res => res.json()
-        ).then(function(res){
+        apiPost('/api/logout')
+        .then(function(res){
             if (res.error) {
                 this.setState({error: res.error});
             } else {
@@ -52,18 +49,14 @@ class MyAccountPage extends Component<MyAccountPageProps, MyAccountPageState> {
         event.preventDefault();
         this.setState({error: undefined});
 
-        fetch('/api/api/key', {
-            method: 'POST',
-            credentials: 'same-origin'
-        }).then(
-            res => res.json()
-        ).then(function(res){
+        apiPost('/api/api/key')
+        .then(res => {
             if (res.error) {
                 this.setState({error: res.error});
             } else {
                 this.props.updateUser(res);
             }
-        }.bind(this)).catch(
+        }).catch(
             (err) => this.setState({error: err})
         );
     }
@@ -81,11 +74,7 @@ class MyAccountPage extends Component<MyAccountPageProps, MyAccountPageState> {
         this.setState({ error: undefined });
 
         try {
-            const res = await fetch('/api/users/me', {
-                method: 'DELETE',
-                credentials: 'same-origin'
-            });
-            const data = await res.json();
+            const data = await apiDelete('/api/users/me');
 
             if(data.error) {
                 this.setState({ error: data.error });
diff --git a/app/src/frontend/user/signup.tsx b/app/src/frontend/user/signup.tsx
index cf422163..a6060568 100644
--- a/app/src/frontend/user/signup.tsx
+++ b/app/src/frontend/user/signup.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import React, { Component } from 'react';
 import { Link, Redirect } from 'react-router-dom';
 
+import { apiGet, apiPost } from '../apiHelpers';
 import ErrorBox from '../components/error-box';
 import InfoBox from '../components/info-box';
 import SupporterLogos from '../components/supporter-logos';
@@ -48,36 +49,21 @@ class SignUp extends Component<SignUpProps, SignUpState> {
         } as Pick<SignUpState, keyof SignUpState>);
     }
 
-    handleSubmit(event) {
+    async handleSubmit(event) {
         event.preventDefault();
         this.setState({error: undefined});
 
-        fetch('/api/users', {
-            method: 'POST',
-            body: JSON.stringify(this.state),
-            headers:{
-                'Content-Type': 'application/json'
-            },
-            credentials: 'same-origin'
-        }).then(
-            res => res.json()
-        ).then(function(res){
-            if (res.error) {
-                this.setState({error: res.error});
+        try {
+            const res = await apiPost('/api/users', this.state);
+            if(res.error) {
+                this.setState({ error: res.error });
             } else {
-                fetch('/api/users/me', {
-                    credentials: 'same-origin'
-                }).then(
-                    (res) => res.json()
-                ).then(
-                    (user) => this.props.login(user)
-                ).catch(
-                    (err) => this.setState({error: err})
-                );
+                const user = await apiGet('/api/users/me');
+                this.props.login(user);
             }
-        }.bind(this)).catch(
-            (err) => this.setState({error: err})
-        );
+        } catch(err) {
+            this.setState({error: err});
+        }
     }
 
     render() {