What are Searches?
The buyer’s solicitor will undertake what are known as searches. These are sometimes called conveyancing or property searches. The 3 main searches are:-
- Local Authority – planning, roadways, listed buildings
- Water & Drainage – checking mains water in and waste water (sewerage) out
- Environmental – looking at flood risk, land contamination, and former use of land (eg industrial)
Your conveyancing solicitor will probably apply for these (and any other searches that might be needed) through one search provider making life easier quicker and often cheaper than applying directly to the local authority and water company directly.
Depending on where you are buying, specialist searches may be necessary – eg mining searches in parts of Cornwall, Wales and so on.
Searches FAQs

Check out other solicitors’ websites and they’ll be littered with self-adulation – they’re “leading solicitor” this, and “solicitors doing” that.
Rather than toot our own horn we’d rather you be the judge of how good our solicitors are. Our clients are free to leave whatever thoughts they feel best describe the legal service they received from us. It’s raw. It’s honest. It’s for real. And critically, it’s from you!
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