What searches do solicitors do when buying a house?

Your conveyancer will need to do a range of searches as part of your property purchase. This might include things like environmental checks and local authority searches. 

Find out more about the different types of searches and what they involve with our guide.

The headlines

  • Conveyancers carry out property searches before contracts are exchanged.   
  • These checks reveal any legal, planning and environmental issues.
  • Buyers usually pay for searches through conveyancing fees.

In this guide

What are property ‘searches’?

What are the main searches conveyancers need to do?

How much do the searches cost?

How long will the searches take?

Frequently asked questions

What are property ‘searches’?

Property searches are investigations your conveyancer carries out when you’re buying a home. They check the property and local area for issues that might affect the purchase, such as planning developments, drainage or environmental risks. 

Searches are done after an offer has been accepted and before exchanging contracts.

If you’re buying a home with a mortgage, property searches are needed by the lender. If you’re a cash buyer, they’re still recommended as they can reveal key information about the home so you can buy with greater confidence.

What are the main searches conveyancers need to do?

Local authority searches

Local authority searches check records held by the local council. They reveal planning permissions, building regulations, road schemes or nearby developments that could affect the property. 

Your conveyancer orders this search early on in the conveyancing process. Results can take a few weeks, depending on the council.

Environmental searches

Environmental searches look for potential environmental risks linked to the property or the surrounding area. These might include flood risks, contaminated land or landfill sites. The search is carried out through specialist data providers and usually returns results within a few days.

Water and drainage searches

Water and drainage searches confirm whether the property is connected to mains water and sewer systems. They also reveal who owns and maintains drainage pipes and whether public sewers run within the property boundary.

Land Registry searches

A Land Registry search confirms the legal ownership of the property and whether there are mortgages, restrictions or rights attached to the land. These checks help make sure the seller has the legal right to sell the property.

Location-specific searches

Some properties need extra checks depending on their location. For example, mining searches may be needed in areas with historic mining activity. These searches identify risks linked to the property’s geography.

Chancel repair searches

Chancel repair searches check whether a property may be liable to contribute to repairs of a nearby church. Although uncommon today, your conveyancer will tell you if this search is relevant.

Commons searches

Commons searches determine whether land is registered as common land or a village green. This can affect how the land can be used or developed.

Additional searches

You can also have more in-depth searches done if needed. Some of these might include:

  • planning and development. This goes beyond the Local Authority search to check for any proposed road developments or land restrictions in the property area
  • coal and mining. This might be needed if you’re buying a property in a historic mining area
  • flood risk. If the property you’re buying is close to water or in a high-risk flooding area, you might want to include this search to learn more about the risks.

How much do the searches cost?

The cost of property searches can vary depending on the location of the property and which searches are needed. Your conveyancer will decide which searches are needed based on the property and lender requirements. 

You can also ask for more in-depth searches or extra follow-up searches, but this will add to the overall cost. 

Buyers typically pay for these searches as part of the conveyancing process. The costs are often included within conveyancer fees when buying and selling a property or listed separately in the conveyancing quote.

How long will the searches take? 

Property searches usually take place after your offer is accepted and once the conveyancing process begins. Your conveyancer should order them early to avoid delays. 

Most searches return within a few days, but local authority searches can take several weeks, depending on the council. Environmental and water searches are often faster, sometimes completed within a few days. Overall, search timelines vary by location and the provider used.

Looking for a conveyancer to help with your searches?

Let's look at the details

  • Property searches review legal records and local information about the home and the surrounding area. Surveys, on the other hand, inspect the property’s condition and call out any potential issues or concerns. 

    House surveys and conveyancer searches both usually happen after an offer is accepted but before contracts are exchanged and can offer useful insights before a purchase. 

    Learn more about valuations and surveys 

  • When buying a house, property searches may reveal details about planning history, nearby developments, environmental risks, drainage systems or legal restrictions. 

    This information helps buyers identify potential risks and better understand the property before moving forward with the purchase.

  • It depends on what the searches find. After property searches are returned, your conveyancer will need to review the results and raise any necessary enquiries with the seller. 

    Only once these are resolved and both parties are satisfied can contracts be exchanged. This might take a few weeks or a few months, depending on how quickly enquiries are answered.

You may also like

What is conveyancing?

Find out how conveyancing supports the legal transfer of property ownership, including property searches, contracts and final checks.

More about conveyancing Opens in same tab

First-time buyer guide

Buying your first home and not sure where to start? Explore helpful tips and guidance to help you navigate the process.

First-time buyer guide Opens in same tab

Moving house costs

Learn about the costs associated with moving home.

Moving house costs

Help and guidance

Use our mortgages hub to discover everything you need to know about applying for a mortgage, moving house or remortgaging. 

Mortgage help

Help and guidance

Use our mortgages hub to discover everything you need to know about applying for a mortgage, moving house or remortgaging. 

Mortgage help

Important legal information

New Lloyds mortgages are provided by Bank of Scotland plc. Lloyds Bank plc and Bank of Scotland plc are both part of Lloyds Banking Group.