Property Searches Direct was born out of a very real frustration with the way property is bought and sold in England & Wales. We created the company to make a difference and to help make the moving process more transparent, friendlier and more collaborative. We believe that the most important element in each and every transaction is the home mover themselves and that their experience is invariably less than positive. Why is that? Quite simply there are too many parties that work in silos that often fail to communicate effectively and are highly resistant to change, leaving you, the home mover, completely in the dark. Our national obsession with property is ancient, feudal even, creating a process driven clunky experience that has only been modernised slightly in recent decades. OK, granted, we have electronic identification, source of funds and online mapping of title, but transactions now take upwards of 15 weeks to complete. Roughly a third of transactions fail, costing home movers and the industry itself staggering sums on wasted fees and time, significantly affecting the transaction timescales for those that do complete. So what can be done? We believe fundamentally that when information is obtained at the beginning of a transaction, both buyers and sellers are empowered to make better decisions. Expecting property professionals to take full responsibility, is a recipe for disaster in our view. Our search reports are shared with home movers and their conveyancers at the same time, and Property Searches Direct is on hand to answer any questions. We made our Hazard Checker publicly available so that a simple postcode search indicates what issues might affect the enjoyment of the area. It is the same information that a conveyancer sees if they place a search order, but we offer these valuable insights to home movers themselves, so that conversations about these risks can take place even before a purchase is agreed. We make all property searches available to home movers to satisfy themselves whether they want to proceed or not, particularly if the results are not to their liking. Many buyers have told us that Searches revealed facts that led them to look for something more suitable, why would you wait until the end of a transaction to see that information. Pulling out of a transaction is unpleasant for all concerned. Upfront data empowers home movers and reduces stress and wasted effort for everyone. Whether you are buying or selling a property, or are a property professional yourself, we ask you to reconsider the well trodden path and explore a more efficient way to do things. Why not help us to improve the way in which property is bought and sold, by engaging with the upfront information revolution. Why not obtain and share information earlier and help speed up transaction timescales with Property-Searches Direct.

Take a look at how Property Searches Direct can help you with your next property transaction. Take control of your searches, speed up your transaction and get information far earlier in the process. If you are thinking about buying a property, one thing that you can take control of is your Searches. Searches are a set of documents that you need to have in place that give you information about the water and drainage connections, the environmental impact from flooding, ground stability, contaminated land, coastal erosion, solar and wind farms and much more, as well as information about planning history, building control, tree preservation orders, planning enforcements and so on. These documents need to be seen by your conveyancer or solicitor, as your lender (if you are getting a mortgage) will insist on the results being seen. Your conveyancer will usually order these for you and keep the results in their files until many weeks into the transaction. But if you want to see the results far sooner to make sure that you are making the right decisions, Property Searches Direct can help you to understand exactly what you need and how to get an order underway. The great news is that not only do they usually cost less than the conveyancer will charge, but the reports that you order are shared with the conveyancer to use for the transaction. So nothing is being doubled up. The environmental report comes back within an hour or so of the order being placed and you can start to raise further questions with the seller about flood risk (or whatever comes up), as well as discussing the level of survey with a surveyor based on the findings in the report. The great thing is that you can call Property Searches Direct about the results as they are much easier to get hold of than your busy conveyancer. So what are you waiting for? Visit Property Searches Direct at propertysearchesdirect.co.uk and get your searches underway. Just remember to tell your conveyancer that you are ordering them so they don't have to. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #buyingahome

A short discussion about how taking control of your Property Searches can make a massive difference to your move. Take control of your property purchase and get back in the driving seat. Hi Jess. So I'm in the process of buying a property and feel completely in the dark about what's happening. Have you ever bought before? I have. I bought my first place last year, and it went okay. A few delays, but on the whole I felt like I was involved. Is yours going okay? Not exactly! I feel like I've been bound and gagged and thrown in the boot of my own car whilst someone else is driving. I'm getting travel sick already and want to get out. Well, when I bought, I decided to take some control, particularly because I wanted answers to some questions that I had about flood risk and works that had been done in the house by the owners. A friend recommended that I order my own searches so that I could get answers sooner. But didn't your solicitor do those for you? Well, they would have done if I had left them to it. But I didn't want to wait for them to eventually get around to it. I wanted to get an order in straight away. My environmental report came back within an hour, putting my mind at ease regarding flooding. My Local Search took a bit longer, but, when it did come back, I could find out all about planning and building regulations information and could then ask the seller to clarify some of the information about the works that they had done. I didn't want to inherit any issues you see. Have you seen your searches yet? Ummm nope? I think that they've ordered them though? But I don't really know for sure That's fairly typical from what I understand. Chances are that your solicitor has them back, or at least some of them, but they're unlikely to share them with you for fear that you'll ask them questions (that they don't really have the time to answer). They'll be busy with hundreds of files and won't want to be interrupted. So when will I see them? I've tried to get in touch with them but they're always busy and I often don't get a call back, or a reply to my emails, other than the really blunt one that says; "We've got your email so DON'T email us again!" Most people don't get to see their searches until they're sent a contract to sign, and that's right at the end of the process. I went to Property Searches Direct for a number of reasons. Firstly I could decide when to get them underway, secondly the reports came to me and my conveyancer at the same time and thirdly Property Searches Direct were much easier to get hold of when I had any questions about what the reports were saying. All that aside, I wanted to drive progress and let the estate agent and seller see that I was committed to the purchase, as I really didn't want them to pull out on me. I also wanted to make sure that my conveyancer had one less thing to worry about. They weren't comfortable about me buying my searches initially, but I reminded them that I was the client and I could spend my money when and how I wanted to be comfortable with my purchase. I mentioned Property Searches Direct and they were ok then. I wish I'd known that sooner! So what can I do now as I'm in a bit of a rush? Well, you want your conveyancer to get the job done properly, so you don't want them cutting corners. However (if you can get hold of them), ask for the reports that they have had back so far, and if they don't have any because they haven't placed an order yet, tell them that you would like to order them yourself at Property Searches Direct. They have an amazing 5-Star customer service rating on Trustpilot and are really easy to get hold of. You will feel far more involved in the process. Perhaps I might feel like someone has let me out of the boot of my car and put me back in the driving seat? Exactly! Do it today and take control of your purchase with Property Searches Direct. #buyingproperty #takecontrol #conveyancing

An introduction to the Hazard Checker that is free to use at Property Searches Direct. Making Search alert data available to home buyers and sellers so that vital decisions can be made before significant amounts of time and money are spent. Welcome to this quick look at our free Hazard Checker which is available to use at Property Searches Direct. The Hazard Checker enables anyone (whether viewing a property or planning to sell one) to find out what environmental hazards are likely to be shown up during the conveyancing process. Until Property Searches Direct made them publicly available in 2021, these search alerts, or Hazards as we call them, were only ever seen by a conveyancer at the point of placing an order for the Searches. We thought, HOLD ON A MOMENT, why should a conveyancer be the first to see the hazards when they are likely to be of significant importance to an unsuspecting home buyer before they commit to a purchase and start spending money. They are also of vital importance to anyone looking to sell a property, to avoid any nasty surprises being revealed many weeks into a transaction that could derail the sale. Having spent over a year reviewing environmental report results and cross-referencing them with numerous environmental datasets, we made the Hazard Checker available for all to use as an indicator of the risks present within each postcode area. We must stress that the results are not property specific, but are definitively alerts within the same postcode area. Only an environmental report ordered for a single property will show property-specific results. To get started, all you need to do is add the postcode for the property that you would like to check Hazards against and click on submit. Our system will then draw the postcodes polygon and overlay it with the hazard mapping data, presenting any results that have been found. All results presented can be expanded to reveal an explanation as to what each one means. The Hazards that the checker looks for include Coal, Radon, Ground Stability, Flood (both Pluvial and Fluvial) Energy, Transportation, China Clay, Tin Mining and Brine We would recommend that anyone out viewing properties should use the Hazard Checker, as well as anyone looking to sell a property, so that you can get ahead of the risks. Perhaps even order an environmental report to offer clarity to anyone coming to view your property. Disclosure of these risks and the levels of risk that exist will lead to better understanding, better decision making and less sales falling through due to nasty shocks. Find our Hazard Checker on our website at PropertySearchesDirect.co.uk and if you have any questions about it or any of the reporting that we make available, please get in touch via web chat, phone or email. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #buyingahome #floodrisk

What is a Local Authority Search, why do you need one and why you should get one from Property Searches Direct. Welcome to our quick look at what a Local Authority Search is and why you need one for your property purchase. Essentially a Local Authority Search is a vital part of the conveyancing (Home Buying) process and is one of the three required documents alongside the environmental report and the Drainage & Water report. They can reveal information that may lead you to renegotiate your offer or even withdraw altogether. They are always required when buying a property with a mortgage. A local authority Search comes in two parts, an LLC1 and a CON29. The LLC1 is the Local Land Charges Register search, which covers any planning agreements, enforcement notices, listed buildings information, light obstruction notices, aviation, financial charges or restrictions associated with the land or property itself. All of these and more entries place a restriction on the property that the owner is liable for, which could impact them financially or in the way that they can enjoy the property. They can include things like, Is the property listed, Is it located in a Smoke Controlled area, Is it in a conservation area, Or would you require a Renovation Grant? It also looks at planning agreements and any conditional planning permissions. All of the LLC1 findings are legally binding on each successive owner, so you will inherit any issues that arise, which is why you need to be confident that you are happy with the findings. The CON29 provides information relating to Public Highways, and any proposed rail routes, planning decisions or new roads that could affect the property, as well as any breaches of planning permissions or building regulations, outstanding statutory notices or the existence of a compulsory purchase order. The CON29 requirements have had several revisions but the standard enquiries cover Planning history, Building control regulation, Highways information (including road scheme proposals), Proposed tree preservation orders, Proposed planning enforcement or breach of condition notices, Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), Assets of community value, Rail schemes and proposals, Public footpaths shown on definitive maps and are answered using a standard set of 29 questions; which is why this section is called the CON29 Our regulated Local Authority Search, ie, those that are completed by a team of dedicated search agents (rather than staff at the council) are presented in a really user-friendly format. They are designed to ensure that the reader can get to the information that they want to see as quickly as possible. The front page, as shown here, is an overview, giving a high level indication of the reports findings. The second page is the contents page. You will see that it is colour co-ordinated so that the sections within the report can be easily identified. So if you wish to find out about contaminated land findings, you would head for the red section and Planning & Building Regs would be found in the blue section. After the contents page, each section will be presented in colour order, starting with the Search of the Land Charges Register, before moving on to the remaining sections. If at any time, once you have received your local authority search, you have any questions, the team at Property Searches Direct are available to help you. Chances are, we are going to be a lot easier to get hold of than your busy conveyancer. But to be fair, your conveyancer is best left alone to get on with their work, rather than being interrupted as they get hundreds of calls every day from clients, advisors and estate agents, it's any wonder they manage to get any work done during a working day. The next section is a Search information sheet. This page provides you with any useful contact numbers for commercial entities that have featured in the report that you may wish to make contact with if you have any further enquiries. Our Regulated Local Authority Search is appropriate for all Residential or Commercial Property Transactions. Before placing an order, it is always well worth having a look at our Lender Checker. This will help to confirm that your lender is happy to accept a Regulated Search (as most are these days). If they are listed and say no, you will need to get in touch via web chat, email or phone and ask us for a quote, as Official Searches (those completed by council staff) vary in price across each local authority area. So that's a Local Authority Search. If you have any questions about this or any of the other reports that we make available, please get in touch. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #buyingahome

People often ask us what the difference is between an Official Local Authority Search and a Regulated Local Authority Search. In this video we answer that very question. This will help you to decide which product you should order and why. Choosing the correct type of Local Authority Search will help to speed up a property transaction, BUT, you must be aware of the needs of your Mortgage Lender if indeed you are buying a property with a Mortgage. Official v’s personal local authority search Conveyancing searches explained Solicitor Searches Conveyancing Searches Conveyancing Solicitor Conveyancing Searches Explained Property Searches Today we are talking about the differences, or indeed the similarities, between a regulated local authority Search and an official Local Authority Search, or as we call them, a Council Sourced Search. A Council Sourced Search (or Official Search) is one that is completed by personnel at the Local Authority. It contains the same information as a Regulated Search because the questions raised in both are required to be the same. A regulated Search is one that is completed by a Search Agent, such as the team that we use across England and Wales, whose job it is to visit the Local Authority and get the answers to the questions raised. An Official Local Authority Search is guaranteed to be accepted by every lender (if you are getting a mortgage) but the cost of getting one will vary across all local authorities as each council charges a different price. A regulated Search tends to be more user friendly in the way that it is laid out and the cost for getting one is fixed nationally, so you can be assured that the price shown on our website at Property Searches Direct is the price that you will pay no matter where the property is. Before you buy any searches from us you really should use our lender checker. This will enable you to confirm whether your lender will accept a regulated search or whether you need to ask us for a quote for an Official Search from the council. The other thing that is worth checking is the return timescales. Every week we update the Local Authority Search Turnaround timescales for Official and Regulated Searches. So don't let the timescales come as a shock to you. Some areas are very quick and some can take weeks, if not months to return the results. So there you have it. If you do have any questions about the types of searches we have available please do reach out to us by email, phone or web chat. We look forward to hearing from you soon. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #buyingahome

Knowing how long your searches are going to take is vital to ensuring that completion timescales can be met. Everyone that moves home has a desired moving date that likely gets agreed during negotiations. BUT, if the Local Searches are going to take far longer that expected, things can be delayed or at worst, derailed. It is always a good idea to have all of the facts available during negotiations so that realistic and achievable dates are set and agree upon. Our dates are indicative of the entire property market in England and Wales. We provide the data for both Official and Regulated Local Authority Searches and provide access to ordering both types. Official v’s personal local authority search timescales Solicitor Searches Conveyancing Searches Conveyancing Solicitor Conveyancing Searches Explained Property Searches Today we are talking about Search Turnaround Timescales and how you can find out how long your searches are likely to take. Accuracy, Transparency and Speed are really important to us at Property Searches Direct, so we want to make sure that everyone buying a property has access to the data to help them to understand how long searches are likely to take to return. We publish the figures on our website at Property Searches Direct. Just follow the links to "Search Timescales" From there you can keep up to date with all of the Local Authority Search Turnaround times and understand the impact that they may have on your purchase or sale transaction. On average a conveyancer will take 6.2 weeks to place an order for searches (as stated by the conveyancing association in 2022) so you will soon see how much difference you can make by placing an order yourself right at the start of your transaction. Just make sure that your seller is definitely committed to selling to you and not someone else as your searches are property specific and cannot be transferred to another address. On the website you will find a list containing every local authority across England and Wales, along with a list of numbers representing working days. The Left hand column is the time it will take (on average) for an Official Local Search to be returned and the right hand column is the average timescale for a Regulated Search. You will note that one is often quicker than the other, but not by a general rule. We cannot say that a Regulated Search will always be quicker, as that it simply not true. However, the costs of a Regulated search is fixed nationally and an Official Search cost will vary with each local authority. To find out what we mean when we say Official or Regulated Local Searches, please find my video where I talk about that. If you do have any questions about the types of searches we have available please do reach out to us by email, phone or web chat. We look forward to hearing from you. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #buyingahome

What is a Drainage & Water report and why do you need one. These are available to Property Searches Direct and come within our search packs to save money. Today we are looking at the Drainage & Water report which is one of the three reports that you must have in place for a property transaction involving a mortgage. This is a key report in residential and commercial transactions and is an essential part of the conveyancing process. It is imperative that you are able to understand your liability for the maintenance of drainage & water pipes, whether the property is connected to the public sewer and how close the property is to any of the mains infrastructure. The report consists of two main sections. The first is the Drainage Enquiries. These provide clarity of the following points: Confirmation of sewerage undertaker, an Extract of public sewer map, Surface water connection, Adoption status, Drainage assets within the boundary, the Distance of public sewer to any building within the property and its Foul Sewer Connection. The second is the Water Enquiries section. These provide clarity of the following points: Confirmation of water undertaker, a Map of waterworks, Mains water connection, Adoption status and any Water assets within boundary. This search is backed by a comprehensive PI policy, which will safeguard all involved against any mistakes that may originate from water company datasets. It will also extend the same protection against the unlikely event of errors and omissions by OneSearch Direct (our supplier). Security is further strengthened with the inclusion of 6 years run-off cover, which ensures that any relevant claims are still honoured. Copies of a sample report can be downloaded from our website if you wanted to take a look before placing an order. These are included in the majority of our search bundles to save you money as the bundles are discounted. So there you have it. If you do have any questions about the types of searches we have available please do reach out to us by email, phone or web chat. We look forward to hearing from you soon. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #buyingahome

What is a Search Bundle and why do we make them available to home movers at Property Searches Direct. Welcome to our quick look at what a Search Bundle is and why we make them available for your property purchase. Essentially a Search Pack (or Bundle) contains at least the three reports that are required for the conveyancing (Home Buying) process.It will include a Local Authority Search, a comprehensive environmental report and a Drainage & Water report. They can reveal information that may lead you to renegotiate your offer or even withdraw altogether and they are always required when buying a property with a mortgage.We simply make them available for home movers to buy rather than waiting for a conveyancer to get around to it in several days or weeks time. This enables you to make decisions about your move far earlier, saving you time and money. At Property Searches Direct we bundle up reports and apply discounts to help save home-movers money. Our Search Bundles are a great place to start when your are ready to proceed with your purchase. They can be found in our on-line shop by using the category filter for 'Search Pack Bundles'. You will see that we have a few options available depending on the transaction type, and the complexity of the environmental reporting that has been included. Our most popular bundle is called the "Residential Purchase Search Pack" ("I know, really imaginative right?) and it includes all three of the required reports. We include a Regulated Local Authority Search, the Groundsure Homebuyer's report and a Drainage & Water report. There is also a letter that you can send to your conveyancer to let them know which reports they will be receiving from us, covering off report compliance and insurance details to put their minds at ease. Before placing an order, it is always well worth having a look at our Lender Checker. This will help to confirm that your lender is happy to accept the Regulated Search contained in the bundle (as most are these days). If they are listed and say no, you will need to get in touch and ask us for a quote as Official Searches (those completed by council staff) vary in price across each local authority area. If you have any questions about our search bundles or any of the reports that we make available, please get in touch by email, phone or web chat. We look forward to hearing from you soon and helping you to get your transaction underway faster. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #buyingahome

A look at the Homebuyers Environmental report from Groundsure that is available to buy at Property Searches Direct and is included in the majority of our Search Pack Bundles for Residential Property Transactions as standard. Welcome to our quick look at our popular Groundsure Environmental report, The Homebuyers, which is included as standard in the majority of our Search Bundles for Residential Property Transactions. Homebuyers is a leading residential environmental risk report that reviews contaminated land, flood, ground stability, radon, planning, energy & transportation to provide a comprehensive environmental analysis for a residential property. In addition, you can identify potential forward climate risk impacts to the property using the 'ClimateIndex forward climate risk module' that is included. By using Land Registry polygons and Groundsure's intelligent filtering tool, this report makes sure that relevant results are returned, together with clear and practical next steps and recommendations in plain English with jargon-free explanations. The key features of this report include a comprehensive contaminated land assessment (with Professional Opinion), utilising the most comprehensive data available including, environmental permits, active and historic landfill & waste sites and current industrial sites. It also includes the ClimateIndex, which is a forward climate scenario modelling for potential flood, subsidence & coastal erosion impacts. This also includes transition risk analysis with Energy Performance (EPC) rating, unique comparable property insight and tailored guidance on energy improvement measures, as well as flood risk mitigation.In terms of Flood data, there is Full flood information covering risks from rivers, the sea, surface water and groundwater. This looks at historical flood areas and identifies areas that benefit from flood defences. It also provides an Ambient Flood-score Insurance Rating giving an indication of how insurance premiums might be affected by any of the findings identified in the report. The report then looks at Natural and non-natural ground stability assessment including ground subsidence, cavities and non-coal mining risks. This is really important to help you to identify what type of survey you may wish to commission for your purchase. As you would expect from any quality environmental report, Radon is considered in its findings.The report presents a clear indication of the levels of Radon at the property and what, if any, further considerations should be made. There is then an Energy Summary that covers Oil & Gas, Wind & Solar and Energy. Any findings highlighted are then presented on mapping to help you to identify the proximity of the projects to your prospective home. This first one focuses on Energy from Wind & Solar Projects. The next one looks at Energy from Infrastructure such as Power Stations, Nuclear and Gas Sites, Electricity Substations, Energy development projects, gas pipelines, electricity lines cables transmission lines-and pylons. It then looks at Transportation to cover the subjects of HS2, Crossrail and other railways. The summary overview is then followed by a series of maps to indicate the location of any projects in relation to the subject property. The next section is planning. This covers Planning Applications of large developments within 250 meters of the property, small developments within 75 meters, and house extensions or new builds within 50 meters.It also covers any planning constraints within 50 meters, and Telecoms applications within 250 meters helping to identify proposed mobile phone mast installations. This report is for residential transactions when requiring a Professional Opinion assessment of contaminated land & flooding as well as considerations of other environmental risks. This overview helps determine if more in-depth analysis is necessary and whether any supplementary reporting is needed. If you have any questions about the Homebuyers report or any of the other reports that we make available, please get in touch with us by phone, email, or web chat. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #buyingahome #floodrisk

A look at the Ground Report and why everyone buying a home should get one. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #buyingahome There are so many perils that can sit beneath a property and buying a home without knowing the risks is crazy. The Ground Report is an in depth look at all things things to do with the ground, from Mineral Extractions, Coal Mining, Coastal Erosion, Natural Ground Perils, Subsidence Risk, Radon, Mineral Planning, Oil and Gas Exploration and more. We wouldn't buy a property without one of these reports in our hands. Welcome to our quick look at the Ground Report from Terra Firma.This report expertly interprets the risk from coal and all other mining, soil-related-subsidence, and all other natural ground hazards, coastal hazards and recorded ground movement. As standard, Terra firma's Ground Report includes an official CON29M (mining report) and integrated Mine Entry Interpretive Report (where applicable), saving approximately £150 when a Coal Mine Entry is identified within 20 metres of the subject property and speeding up the property transaction. The UK's history of mineral extraction goes far beyond Coal, and the risk from historic mining and extraction of metalliferous minerals, limestone, chalk, gypsum, clay and brine, to name just a few, are also considered by the Ground Report, ensuring your potential exposure to all mining related risk is thoroughly assessed. This is a map of mineral extraction-sites from 2012 across the South East of England where very few mining related searches are undertaken by conveyancers. This shows over 2000 recorded chalk mines 3000 recorded clay pits, fewer than 40 coal shafts up to 500 iron 314 Sandstone 30 kentish ragstone and 43 fuller'searth mines. In this area alone close to eleven thousand reports of mining-related subsidence had occurred since 1985, with few, if any, property transactions taking these risks in to consideration.A similar situation occured in the North East of England. This map shows over 2000 recorded Metalliferous mines 1500 chalk pits up to 750 ironstone 314 dolomite 275 flagstone and up to 100 evaporites mines. Close to fifteen thousand reports of mining-related subsidence had been reported since 1985. Again, at the time of the map being produced no mining related searches were being undertaken. A chalk mine is not as innocent as you think it might be.When chalk was extracted, the layer of clay above was removed and the chalk was mined in the shape of a bottle neck. To save money when closing the site, the top of the bottleneck was capped with wooden timbers and the hole above backfilled with the clay or other soils.The trouble with this is that over time the wooden caps rot. This results in the backfilled soil falling down in to the empty void below causing sinkholes at ground level. It is terrifying to think just how many properties sit close to or above these potential disasters. Here are some images that have been captured of just some of the collapses around the country. This one is in Hemel Hempstead. Here is one in St Albans. This one was in High Wycombe And here is one in Reading. You can see just how damaging they can be and why so many people are displaced from their homes as a result of these types of collapses occurring. Importantly, the Ground Report also considers risk from natural hazards like clay-related subsidence, landslip, natural sinkholes and radon exposure, which all have the potential to expose you to physical property damage emotional stress and financial loss. The report now includes a property specific risk assessment of coastal hazards answering questions relating to Coastal Erosion, flooding and sea-level rise.It considers sea defences and the Environment Agency's Shoreline Management Plan and the impact of climate change. This is a comprehensive report for residential property transactions when requiring a better understanding of Coastal Erosion risk and how a property might be affected by the historic extraction of over 64 minerals across England and Wales. We would recommend that this report is purchased to give you peace of mind that your property is not at risk of damage from natural or man-made ground hazards. If you have any questions about the Ground Report or any of the other reports that we make available, please get in touch with us by phone, email, or web chat

How do Property Searches Direct help people who are looking to sell property? How can they help speed up property transactions and better prepare sellers for the tasks at hand? Brace yourselves! You could be in for a tough ride if you are not getting prepared. Selling a property is NOT as straightforward as an Estate Agent might tell you. They have the relatively easy part of finding you a buyer, but that's just one small part of the journey. The best thing that you can do, WAY ahead of finding a buyer or instructing an Estate Agent, is to engage with a decent conveyancer or solicitor. They will provide you with various documents to get them instructed. These will include a set of 'Standard Protocol Forms'. These forms can take a while to complete however, once you have completed them and found all of the supporting paperwork to go with them, you will be able to put your conveyancer in a position to get you 'contract ready'. Contract ready means that as soon as you do have a buyer in place, a contract will be able to go from your conveyancer to theirs in a matter of days, not only saving a significant amount of time, but enabling your buyers conveyancer to get on with the purchase transaction straight away. As Estate Agents are now required to meet with 'Material Information Regulations' as imposed by Trading Standards, you will have a number of questions to answer. We have put a fair amount of information about the subject on our "selling a property" page, however, sellers would be advised to obtain some documentary evidence for marketing purposes. This would include an environmental report, a local authority search and a copy of your title deeds.We have put these together in our "Sellers Pack" that you can find on this page. Copies of the reports will be sent to you, your conveyancer and estate agent as they complete, so that information contained can be disclosed to meet with the regulations. The great news is that although these documents may not be able to be used by your buyer, the information contained will help your conveyancer to answer any enquiries raised faster, and (if sent to your buyers conveyancer) enable them to progress their side of. things faster too. If at any point you have any questions that you would like to ask us, please get in touch by email, webchat or phone as we'd be delighted to help. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #sellingahome

A look at how Property Searches Direct can help Cash buyers as well as those getting a mortgage. With the Cash Buyer Express, we can significantly help cash buyers to move forward quickly with confidence. We are regularly asked what protection you can get if you are buying a property with cash. Your conveyancer will most likely advise that you buy a full set of searches and, if you have the time, we would agree. It is always best to have the full set of answers to questions before you commit to such a large investment. Property Searches are required by lenders when people are buying with a mortgage, but they aren't compulsory when using cash. However, you need to be very careful buying any property without all the facts. The information contained within the searches may very well uncover problems with the property that could impact on your plans for it or your enjoyment of it. They could also significantly impact upon the value of the property, putting your cash investment at risk. Many cash buyers will buy at an auction where a legal pack and searches will be available for your inspection. Although, that said, it is becoming increasingly evident that many lots contain no searches at all. Whether buying at Auction or from the Open Market a set of full searches will help you to make informed decisions. However, if you are really pushed for time, or, you have struck an amazing financial deal leveraging speed of transaction, the Searches may well put a spanner in the works. This is why the Cash Buyer Express was created. This report contains around 70% of the information you would normally obtain from a full local authority search, with the missing information being covered by a bespoke no search indemnity policy; covering the risks associated with a search of the Local Land Charges Register, a search of CON29R and CON29O records, a search of Water and Drainage records, a search of the Coal Authority's records and a full Chancel Repair Liability search. Combining the security of a No-Search Insurance policy with real-time property data, the Cash Buyer Express is designed to complement a shorter transaction process associated with cash purchases, but providing clarity and confidence. The best part is, that this report completes in around 24 hours. So whether you are buying with or without a mortgage, Property Searches Direct is here to support your needs and provide you with the security that you need for your transaction. For more information, head to the 'Cash Buyers' section of our website with a link beneath the Buying a Property section of the menu. Order your comprehensive Property Search Pack that will be used by your solicitor today #buyingproperty #buyingahome #conveyancing

An overview of the Landmark Envirosearch Residential Environmental report that is available at Property Searches Direct. Welcome to our quick look at the new Landmark Environmental report, the Envirosearch Residential. Envirosearch Residential provides a contaminated land liability risk assessment under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act (1990) with professional opinion. Alongside this, the report provides full assessments for flood risk, climate change, ground stability, radon, Energy & Infrastructure and planning constraints, as well as alert assessments, where relevant to the property, for coal risk and planning, which may prompt you to investigate further with additional reporting. Professional Opinion includes: Contaminated land liability assessment for Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act (1990) that meets the needs of the Law Society's Contaminated Land Practice Note, providing a clear report conclusion of Passed or Further Action. It also includes Landmark's innovative and ever expanding 'Risk Assessed Land Register' dataset to provide more passes early on. Then we have a series of Full Assessments, the first of which is for Flood. This assessment is compiled from Landmark's comprehensive suite of flood data to identify whether flooding could affect the property. The report covers risks from River & Coastal flooding, as well as Surface Water, Ground Water and any other risks presented at the location. The next Full Assessments in the report is looking at Climate Change. This is a comprehensive assessment of key data sets to understand future risk from both physical & transition risk. The areas covered are Flood, Coastal Erosion, Ground Stability and Heat Stress. The report will also provide information about the current EPC data if a property specific report has been made available in the datasets. The next Full Assessment covers Ground Stability. Being a Full assessment of our ground stability and subsidence data, this entirely negates the need for any follow-on reporting, saving time and money. However, this does look at Man-made hazards, Natural hazards, Mining, Brine and Salt. As such, the report, on later pages that I will cover shortly, may suggest the need of a CON29M mining report to satisfy lender requirements. This report is made available in our shop, when required. The next Full Assessment is looking at Radon. An assessment of whether Radon could be an issue in the location and whether further investigation should be sought. The next Full Assessment is for Energy & Infrastructure. Again, this is a full assessment of our energy and infrastructure development data, negating the need for a follow-on report, saving further time and money. The next Full Assessment looks at any Planning Constraints. This assessment is making you aware of any Environmental Designations, Pylons & Masts. Then we have a series of Alert Assessments, the first one being for Coal Mining risk. This is a market-first, 'No search' certificate. Alongside and integral to the Coal Screening Data Layer is Landmark's certification as to the result's accuracy where 'No' or 'Low' risk is identified. Landmark's certification is backed by a £1M indemnity policy. This part of the report is where you may be recommended to obtain a CON29M mining report to satisfy lender requirements and provide you with a greater understanding of any mining risks if present. The final Alert Assessment is looking at Planning Applications. This alert assessment is making you aware of any potential changes to the surrounding environment that may impact intrinsic enjoyment of the property. We have a dedicated planning report available in our shop that will do a deep dive in to all planning applications in the vicinity to clearly paint a picture of future changes that could impact upon the subject property, if required. This comprehensive report is for residential transactions when requiring a Professional Opinion assessment of contaminated land, as well as considerations of climate change and numerous other environmental, infrastructure and planning risks. The overviews contained, help to determine if more in-depth analysis is necessary and whether any supplementary reporting is needed, but with so many Full Assessments included, this need is minimised. If you have any questions about the Envirosearch Residential Report or any of the other reports that we make available, please get in touch with us by phone, email, or web chat. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #buyingahome #floodrisk

An overview of the Landmark Homecheck Environmental Report that is available at Property Searches Direct. Welcome to our quick look at the new Landmark Environmental report, the Homecheck Residential. Homecheck Residential provides a contaminated land liability risk assessment under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act (1990). Alongside this, the report provides a full assessment or ground stability and radon as well as an alert assessment, where relevant to the property, for flood risk, coal mining, planning and energy & infrastructure which may prompt you to investigate further. Professional Opinion includes: Contaminated land liability assessment for Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act (1990) that meets the needs of the Law Society's Contaminated Land Practice Note. It also includes Landmark's innovative and ever expanding 'Risk Assessed Land Register' dataset to provide more passes early on. Full Assessments Include, Ground Stability – This provides a full assessment of ground stability and subsidence data, negating the need for a follow-on report. The Full Assessment also includes Radon. An assessment of whether Radon could be an issue in the location and whether further investigation should be sought. Then we have a series of Alert Assessments that include; Flood. This is a high-level summary of any flood hazards, to prompt whether to investigate further. We have a specific flood report available to buy which provides an in-depth look at the risks affecting any specific property if this Alert suggest that one is required. The next Alert Assessment is for Coal risk. This is a market-first, 'No search' certificate. Alongside and integral to the Coal Screening Data Layer is Landmark's certification as to the result's accuracy, where 'No' or 'Low' risk is identified. Landmark's certification is backed by a £1M indemnity policy. The next Alert Assessment is for Planning. This alert assessment is making you aware of potential changes to the surrounding environment that may impact intrinsic enjoyment of the property. In addition you will receive information on Planning constraints. The final Alert Assessment is for Energy and Infrastructure. This alert assessment is to determine if energy and infrastructure developments could impact the property, and to prompt further investigation through the purchase of the specific Energy & Infrastructure report that we make available in the shop. This report is for residential transactions when requiring a Professional Opinion assessment of contaminated land as well as considerations of other environmental risks. This overview helps determine if more in-depth analysis is necessary and whether any supplementary reporting is needed. If you have any questions about the Homecheck Environmental or any of the other reports that we make available, please get in touch with us by phone, email, or web chat. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #buyingahome #floodrisk

Find out about Chancel Repair Liability Risk, what it is and what Chancel Repair Indemnity Policies are available to help protect you from possible claims. Far too many people are being provided with chancel searches that show whether there is a known risk. This is expensive and not helpful for home buyers. We suggest buying a No Search Chancel Indemnity Insurance Policy. Watch to find out why. Welcome to this video where I will be looking at Chancel Repair Liability risk and the Chancel Indemnity Insurance policies that you can get to protect yourself from claims. Let's quickly explain what a Chancel Repair Liability is. If your property is located on land in England or Wales, that was previously owned by, or liable to the local Anglican church, or, you own a property in an historical area that may be liable for unexpected church repairs, this is known as a Chancel Repair Liability Risk. The Chancel is the part of an Anglican Parish Church that contains the Choir and Altar. If you are at the early stages of buying a property, please check your conveyancing quote and see whether your conveyancer is planning to charge you for a Chancel Repair Liability Search. If they are, it may be worth asking them to not do one and save your money. All a search will do is cost you money to tell you that, either you are liable for repairs, or you are not liable for repairs. If you are not liable, the search will have cost more than a no search chancel insurance policy. If it states that there is a known liability, the insurance policy is likely to be more expensive because you are aware of the risk. So, it is better to insure against an unknown risk than to find out of a risk exists, I hope that makes sense? A vital thing to know is whether there is a mention of a chancel liability risk on your title deed as this will greatly affect your premium costs. Your conveyancer will have a copy of your title deed, so asking to see a copy should be no trouble at all. If you wish to get a copy of the existing title deed yourself, Property Searches Direct can get a copy for you. You will find a link to get one in our shop. We provide a No Search Chancel Indemnity Liability insurance policy in our shop that will provide you with cover of up to £500,000 This is likely to be more than you will ever need. You just need to check and confirm that you meet with the assumptions of the policy. One thing to note is that the size of the chancel liability policy bears no relation to the value of a property. This is something that many conveyancers (and lenders for that matter) invariably get confused about; suggesting that a £500,000 policy will not be ok for a property valued at £800,000 But of course it will.The sum relates to the amount of funds being made available for a claim, and the value of the property is not considered in that calculation. The claim amount will total the cost of the repair, divided between the number of homes within the parish catchment. We also provide a policy for people who have had a chancel search done and are aware of a known or potential liability, but there is no mention of the liability on the Title Deeds. Again, you need to check the assumptions before buying it. It is worth noting that you should not buy any of the Chancel Indemnity Policies until you have exchanged. Many people will buy them as they complete to get the policy on risk at the point of moving in. If you do not meet with the assumption and need a bespoke quote, please get in touch with us via phone, web chat or email and we will be delighted to assist you further. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #buyingahome

A quick look at the Flood Report from Landmark. Landmark Flood is a detailed flood risk assessment. The assessment is derived following a review of a comprehensive suite of flood data extending beyond the four main sources of flooding, including historic flood events, the river network and the elevation and proximity of the Site in relation to these features. If a ‘High Risk’ is indicated by flood data, an Environmental Consultant at Argyll will review the risk to ensure the overall assessment is accurate. Welcome to our quick look at the Flood Report from Landmark. This report expertly interprets the risk from flooding at any residential property location across England and Wales. This Landmark Flood report is designed to provide a professional opinion on the potential effect of flflooding at a property. Using key datasets to assess likelihood of flood and importantly, to clarify the availability of insurance and whether the property has flooded in the past. Consultants assess all high-risk sites to ensure a property specific assessment. This is key to making sure that the report only identifies the risks that matter. The report examines flood risk from, River, Coastal, Surface & Groundwater, Watercourses, Historic Flood Events, Insurability, and Areas benefitting from defences. After the clear front page with it's 'at-a-glance' summary of risk results and Ordinance Survey Mastermap providing clarity on what may need attention, the second page dives into more detail. A sophisticated risk model considers terrain height, nearby watercourses and flood defences, providing accurate risk results and visualises the data by mapping the risk for further clarity of any potential impact and better decision making. There is also a Professional opinion and recommendations section on this page to provide further clarity and remove any uncertainty. This is a comprehensive report for residential property transactions when requiring a better understanding of Flood risk. It is worth noting that flood reporting data is available in many of the combined environmental reports that we make available, delivering great value for money. #buyingproperty #conveyancing #buyingahome #flooding #floodrisk If you have any questions about the Flood Report or any of the other reports that we make available, please get in touch with us by phone, email, or web chat