Once your offer on a home has been accepted, your solicitor or conveyancer will carry out a series of searches. They check for problems you would want to know about before you commit to buying, such as planning proposals, flood risk, contaminated land and drainage issues. This guide explains which searches are done when buying a house, whether you can do your own local authority search, what searches cost and how long they take.
In this guide
Are searches necessary when buying a house?
The main property searches
Can I do my own local authority search?
How much do property searches cost?
How long do house searches take?
How long are search results valid?
How to deal with problems found in the searches
Are searches necessary when buying a house?
If you are buying with a mortgage, your lender will require searches because the property is its security for the loan. Cash buyers are not legally required to have searches, but they are strongly recommended. They help you make an informed decision and can protect you from costly problems with planning, roads, pollution or drainage that would otherwise only come to light after you have bought.
The main property searches
Local authority search
The local authority search has two main parts:
- A search of the local land charges register (form LLC1). This covers restrictions and charges registered against the property, such as planning conditions, tree preservation orders, conservation areas and listed building status.
- Enquiries of the local authority (form CON29). These cover matters around the property, such as whether roads are public highways, proposals for new roads or rail schemes, planning decisions that could affect the property and notices about contaminated land.
Title search
Your conveyancer checks the property’s title at HM Land Registry. This confirms who owns the property and that the seller has the right to sell it. It also shows any mortgages or other charges registered against it, rights of way and restrictions. A copy of the title register costs £7 to download from HM Land Registry.
Water and drainage search
Mortgage lenders usually require this search, which is made to the local water company. It shows whether the property is connected to the public water supply and sewers, where public sewers and water mains run near the property and how water and sewerage are billed.
Environmental search
An environmental search examines past and present records of how the land and its surroundings have been used, to check whether earlier uses could have left it contaminated. It is carried out by a specialist search provider rather than by the Environment Agency.
Flood risk report
A flood risk report assesses how likely the property is to flood in future and to what extent. It can affect your insurance as well as your decision to buy.
Chancel repair liability search
This search checks whether the property could be liable to contribute to the cost of repairing the chancel of the local parish church.
Other searches you may need
Depending on the location and type of property, your conveyancer may recommend further searches:
- Mining search. For properties on or near current or former mining areas, where the ground may be unstable. Lenders often require it in those areas.
- Common land search. For properties next to common land, a town or village green or open rural land, to check for registered common rights.
- Bankruptcy search. Carried out against the names of mortgage borrowers.
Can I do my own local authority search?
Yes, you can search the local land charges register yourself. HM Land Registry’s Search for local land charges service covers England and Wales. You need to create an account, it is free to search and an official search certificate costs £15. Not every council’s data is on the service yet, so for some areas you will need to apply to the council’s local land charges team instead.
Before you do your own search, bear the following in mind:
- It covers only part of the local authority search. The land charges register does not include the CON29 enquiries about roads, planning decisions and other matters around the property. These are requested from the council or answered by a search company.
- Your lender may not accept it. If you are buying with a mortgage, your lender will usually expect searches ordered by your conveyancer. Your conveyancer may also insist on ordering them so that they can rely on the results.
- You will need to interpret the results. A conveyancer reviews search results and raises questions with the seller’s solicitor. If you search yourself, discuss the results with your conveyancer.
Personal search or council search?
Many conveyancers use a personal search, in which an independent search company inspects the council’s records and compiles the results instead of the council doing so. Personal searches are often quicker and are covered by search insurance in case the results are wrong. Some people prefer an official council search. Ask your conveyancer which type they recommend and whether your lender will accept it.
How much do property searches cost?
Your conveyancer usually orders the searches once your offer has been formally accepted. Their quote should list each search fee separately. Costs depend on the council, the search provider, the size and location of the property and the number of searches needed. Each council sets its own fees for official searches, so check your council’s website for its current charges. HM Land Registry’s local land charges search is free, with £15 for an official certificate. A copy of the title register costs £7.
Searches are a small part of the overall cost of buying a home. Our guides to the process of buying a house in England and Wales and stamp duty cover the other costs.
How long do house searches take?
Most searches come back within a week or two. The local authority search usually takes longest, anything from a few days to several weeks depending on the council, how results are returned, the volume of requests and the council’s staffing. Your conveyancer then needs time to review the results and report to you.
There is little you can do to speed up a council’s response, but you can avoid delay at your end:
- Choose a conveyancer before you make an offer and instruct them as soon as it is accepted, so that searches are ordered straight away.
- Ask your conveyancer whether a personal search would be quicker in your area and acceptable to your lender.
How long are search results valid?
Search results are a snapshot on the day they are issued. Lenders and conveyancers commonly treat results older than about six months as out of date. If completion is delayed beyond that, your conveyancer may need to order new searches. If you are worried that your searches may expire, ask your conveyancer early.
How to deal with problems found in the searches
When the searches are complete, your conveyancer will send you a report explaining what they found and any issues that could affect your decision. Some findings, such as a high flood risk, may change your mind about the purchase. Others can be resolved before exchange. You can ask the seller to put a problem right, ask for indemnity insurance to cover a specific risk or negotiate a lower price. Our guide on how to negotiate the house price after a survey explains how to approach that conversation.
Search reports can be a lot to take in, especially for first-time buyers. Go through the report with your conveyancer so that you can make a clear decision about the property. Our guide to buying your first home covers the rest of the process.
Selling as well as buying?
If you need to sell your current home, enter your postcode on easyProperty to compare fee proposals from local high street and online estate agents side by side. It is free for sellers and carries no obligation. Our estate agent fees guide explains typical costs.
