Conveyancing Property Searches: A Complete Guide to Which You Need
When purchasing or remortgaging a property in England and Wales, the principle of caveat emptor (buyer beware) applies. This means the onus is entirely on you to uncover any risks or legal obligations that could affect the land or building. Crucially, this vital information is not held by the seller; instead, it must be sought through formal enquiries to the local authority, the water board, and the Environment Agency.
The results of these conveyancing searches are often a "make or break" factor for your transaction. Because certain findings can render a property unmortgageable without extensive further investigation, lenders insist on these searches as a mandatory part of the legal conveyancing process. While buyers typically order searches once the draft contract pack is issued, significant delays at certain councils make timing critical. In this guide, we break down exactly what each search entails, the associated costs, and the current lead times you should expect before you can finalise your purchase.
The Essential "Big Three" Property Searches
There are a variety of searches you can buy; however, these are the 3 main ones:
Type of Search | Detail |
Local Authority Search | The most common and mandatory search, the Local Authority Search reports on data held at the council, including planning permission, building regulation sign off, and rights of way. The local search takes the longest of all searches, ranging from a few days to upwards of 4 weeks, depending on your council. The cost is also the most, as you'll pay between £60 and £300 as the cost also varies by local authority. |
Water & Drainage Search | The Water & Drainage Search reports on how water gets to your property and the waste out from it, including where, if you have pipes running through your land. The water and drainage search takes between 1 and 2 weeks, and the cost is between £40 and £80, depending on the water authority. |
Environmental Search | The Environmental Search reports on flood risk, ground stability, contaminated land, radon, and other environmental factors. It takes between 1 and 2 days to be returned, and the cost is between £40 and £80, depending on what rate the search provider charges. |
Specialist Enquiries for Specific Locations
Depending on where your property is, there are some bespoke searches that may crop up.
Coal Mining | Approximately 25% of all properties in England and Wales sit on a coalfield. While mining is now a part of our industrial heritage rather than a current activity, the underground legacy remains a significant factor in conveyancing. The areas affected are broadly categorised by the major coalfields. If a property falls within these regions, a CON29M coal mining search is usually mandatory for mortgage purposes. It costs circa £66 INC VAT and should be turned around within 1 to 2 days. |
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Radon | Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can enter buildings from the soil. In the context of conveyancing, "Radon Affected Areas" are defined as regions where there is a 1% or higher chance that a home's radon levels are at or above the "Action Level" of 200 becquerels per cubic metre. According to the latest maps from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the British Geological Survey (BGS), the risk is highest where the underlying geology contains specific rock types like granite or limestone. A Radon Search costs circa INC VAT and should be turned around within 1 to 2 days. |
Commons Registration Search | A Commons Registration Search (requested via the CON29O optional enquiry form) is essential whenever there is a risk that the land you are buying is subject to ancient "commoners' rights" or is registered as a town or village green. While these are less common in urban city centres, they are a vital part of due diligence for specific property types to ensure you don’t inherit a legal nightmare. |
Why Cash Buyers Still Require Property Searches
Even if you're buying with cash, conveyancing searches are essential. They can uncover hidden issues that could impact your property's value and future saleability. Don't risk your own money – get the property searches you need.
Mortgage lenders won't lend their money without evidence that certain properties and searches have been obtained, so why would you want to risk your own money by buying without property searches?
Interpreting Your Results and Raising Further Enquiries
Once your solicitor receives the results of your property searches, the next critical step is the interpretation of the findings. These documents are often highly technical, containing complex data from the Environment Agency and local council records. Your solicitor will review these to identify "entries" or "charges" that could affect your enjoyment of the property, its future resale value, or its "mortgageability".
If a search identifies a potential risk—such as a high flood probability, a recorded mine shaft within 20 metres, or an adoption issue with the local water mains—it does not necessarily mean the transaction must fail. Instead, it triggers the need for further enquiries. Your legal team will raise specific questions with the seller’s solicitor to seek clarification, or they may recommend "Level 2" interpretive reports to finalise the risk level. In some cases, you may need to negotiate a "Radon Bond" or an indemnity insurance policy to protect your investment. Ensuring these enquiries are fully satisfied is essential before you commit to the exchange of contracts, as once you have exchanged, you legally accept the property and all its associated risks.
Common issues and solutions found in searches
Contaminated Land | If the Environmental Report highlights the risk that your property has been built on contaminated land you solicitor must investigate. The solution is to obtain the NHBC certificate from the original developer or contact the council to confirm whether the land is still contaminated. You can't proceed with a mortgage without obtaining further evidence. |
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High Flood Risk | If the Environmental Report highlights the risk that your property is in a high flood risk area, then it will be reported to your mortgage lender. The lender will then confirm how they wish to proceed and this may require a Flood Risk Assessment of the property from a surveyor. You can't proceed with a mortgage without obtaining further evidence. |
Ground Stability | If the Environmental Report highlights the risk that your property is built on a ground with a high chance of movement, you may need to instruct a surveyor to inspect the property for subsidence. |
Section 106 | If the local search shows an unexpired Section 106 Agreement, the seller's solicitor must confirm with the council if the works have been completed. |
Comparison of conveyancing searches
When it comes to searches, you want a reliable service that delivers excellent value. We've analysed the offerings of various solicitors and our competitors, focusing on the essential searches and reports you'll need for a home purchase.
Searches Solicitor/Conveyancer | Local Authority Search | Water & Drainage Search | Environmental Search | Chancel Report | Climate Report | Search Bundle Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SAM Conveyancing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | £325 |
Money Super Market | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | N/A |
Stephensons | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | £270 |
True Solicitors | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | £302 |
PLS Solicitors | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | £400 |
Ackroyd Legal | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | £350 |
AV Rillo | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | £310 |
Harrisons | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | £480 |
Chadwick Lawrence | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | £395 |
Easy Conveyancing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | £281 |
Halifax AKA Muve | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | £281 |
Information correct as of: 14th February 2025.
List of all the different types of searches
- This search provides essential details about your property, including planning consents and road adoption agreements.
- It can also include any notices or restrictions (e.g., conservation area, smoke control area, tree preservation orders).
- It focuses specifically on the boundaries and the title of the land or property you're buying.
- Many properties in England and Wales, both old and new, may be subject to a chancel repair liability.
- This means you could be required to contribute to the repair costs of a local church, even if this isn't mentioned in your property deeds.
- This liability stems from historical land ownership and can affect properties in both urban and rural areas, stretching many miles.
- The potential cost can be substantial, running into thousands of pounds.
- This search confirms your property's connection to mains water and identifies the location of drains and sewers, both on and near the property (public).
- It indicates whether foul water and surface water drain from the property to a public sewer and the basis of charging for sewerage and water supply.
- This report checks for past and present industrial land use, which can indicate contamination.
- If the land is officially registered at your local authority as 'contaminated', you could be liable for clean-up costs, even if you weren't responsible.
- Clean-up costs often exceed the value of the property and/or land.
- Most environment reports also contain information about nearby industrial processes or installations such as landfill sites or waste management sites, as well as pollution incidents.
- Prediction of climate risks to the property and the surrounding area up to the 2080's.
- It looks at future soil subsidence, coastal erosion, extreme wind days, riverine flooding, surface water flooding, and coastal flooding.
- While not mandatory for mortgage lenders, we expect this to become mandatory in the coming years so include it in our search bundle.
Andrew started his career in 2000 working within conveyancing solicitor firms and grew hands-on knowledge of a wide variety of conveyancing challenges and solutions. After helping in excess of 50,000 clients in his career, he uses all this experience within his article writing for SAM, mainstream media and his self published book How to Buy a House Without Killing Anyone.
Caragh is an excellent writer and copy editor of books, news articles and editorials. She has written extensively for SAM for a variety of conveyancing, survey, property law and mortgage-related articles.
