What searches does a solicitor do when you buy a house?
Once your offer is accepted, your solicitor or conveyancer orders searches: questions to the council, the water company and others about the property. Here’s what each one covers, and what you can check yourself first.
Free to start with a postcode. No account needed. See an example report.
The main conveyancing searches
Local authority search
In England and Wales: the local land charges register and the council’s answers about the property, such as planning and building control history, roads, and notices affecting it.
Water and drainage search
Whether the home is connected to the public water supply and sewers, and where public sewers and water mains run near it.
Environmental search
Risks such as contaminated land, flooding and ground stability, from a specialist search provider.
Other searches, depending on the area
Such as a coal mining search in former coalfields, or a chancel repair search. Your solicitor decides which are needed.
In Scotland
The seller’s solicitor usually provides a property enquiry certificate from the council, plus searches in the property and personal registers.
What we check
- Planning applications within 1 km, and their decisionsFree area check
- River and sea flood zoneFree area check
- Listed status, conservation areas, Article 4 and protected treesFull report
- Surface water, radon, ground movement and historic landfillFull report
- Extensions and loft rooms with no planning application on recordFull report
Searches and a HomeDueDiligence report
| What | Conveyancing searches | HomeDueDiligence report |
|---|---|---|
| When | After your offer is accepted | Before you offer |
| Who orders it | Your solicitor or conveyancer | You, online |
| Legal notices and charges on the property | Yes | No |
| Water and sewer connections | Yes | No |
| Flooding, ground and radon | Environmental search | Yes, from official maps |
| Planning nearby and protections | Local authority search, for the property | Yes, including applications within 1 km |
Coverage: England, Scotland and Wales. Search names and practice differ in Scotland.
Sources: Planning Data England and council planning registers; Environment Agency, SEPA and Natural Resources Wales; British Geological Survey. All data sources
Why check before the searches
Searches can take days or weeks, and by then you’ve paid a solicitor. Much of what an environmental or planning search finds can be checked from official records before you offer.
A report from us doesn’t replace the searches. Your solicitor and lender rely on them.
Questions to ask the seller, your solicitor or surveyor
- Which searches will you order for this property, and why?
- How long is the council currently taking to return local authority searches?
- What do the searches show that the seller’s answers didn’t mention?
The full report ties questions like these to what it finds at the house.
Common questions
Are conveyancing searches compulsory?
Not by law, but if you’re buying with a mortgage your lender will usually require them, and buying without them is a risk.
How long do searches take?
Often a few days to a few weeks, mostly depending on how quickly the council answers the local authority search.
Can I see planning history before the searches?
Yes. Council planning registers are public, and our free area check lists planning applications within 1 km.
Official records, not advice. We never score properties or tell you whether to buy. Check a postcode