Searches
Personal Local Authority Search
Our Local Authority Searches are normally returned in 3-5 working days (depending
on Local Authority) and are covered by our £2m Professional Indemnity Cover.
The report is produced in an easy to understand CON29 format, and contain information
on the following:
- Local Land Charges
- Planning Decisions
- Building regulations decisions
- Planning Designations and Proposals for the property.
- Road Adoption status
- Highway Schemes
- Any other relevant schemes and notices.
Drainage & Water Searches
Drainage & Water Report (CON29DW) is provided by the various local water companies
in England and Wales. CON29DW report reveals details of water and sewerage assets
under and around properties allowing solicitors to determine if properties are properly
serviced and to identify any liabilities that owners may incur.
All the essential water and sewer information surrounding your client’s property
including:
- Confirmation of public sewer connection status
- Confirmation of public sewer adoption agreement status
- Confirmation of whether public sewers are within or adjacent to the property
- Confirmation of water supply status
- Confirmation of water supply charging method
- A colour coded plan of the water mains and public sewers surrounding the property.
Coal Mining Report
Official Coal Authority Mining Searches with insurance are now available very quickly
and easily.
Coal mining has played an important role in the industrial history of Great Britain.
This continues today with some 30.6 million tonnes of coal produced from deep and
opencast mines.
Not surprisingly, past or current coal mining activity can have an effect on surface
property. Coal mining may affect a property due to subsidence, although under the
1991 Coal Mining Subsidence Act, owners of property damaged by coal mining may be
entitled to remedies including repair or depreciation compensation payments. A house
may have been built over or near to old coal mineshafts and opencast mining can
have an environmental impact.
In coal mining areas a coal mining search is recommended prior to the completion
of a house purchase.
Enviromental Searches
Homecheck Pro Environmental Report
The Homecheck Professional Environmental Report is for use by lawyers and other
professionals involved in residential property. It provides information in the five
key areas that are not covered by Standard Enquiries of Local Authorities. Every
report includes a clear assessment on contaminated land liability from Europe's
largest environmental consultancy.
In partnership with RPS, Europe's largest environmental consultancy, every Homecheck
Professional Environmental Report includes an Environmental Certificate. This Certificate
indicates the likelihood of the property being described as contaminated, as defined
by Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Certificate also highlights
matters which, whilst not relating to contamination, may impact on the value or
saleability of a property such as flooding, radon and subsidence. A unique Lending
Assessment provides guidance from an environmental perspective as to whether the
property can be used as security in normal lending.
In this way, Homecheck Professional addresses the issue raised by the Law Society
Warning Card on Contaminated Land as well as removing from the property professional
the burden of interpreting the results of the report.
Where further work is recommended to clarify potential risks, RPS has the capability
and experience to undertake the complete range of follow-up work and support (if
required). The RPS support available also includes free reviews (subject to volume)
of further information supplied to the consultancy team and advice relating to contamination
matters.
The comprehensive report is organised as follows:
- Statutory Registers - concerns the existence of landfill and waste management sites,
or the storage of hazardous substances, in proximity to the property
- Land Use - looks at both past and present industrial land use, to identify any land
which may have been put to a potentially contaminative use.
- Land Instability - concerns coal mining, natural ground subsidence and mineral extraction,
which are the principal causes of insurance claims.
- Natural Perils - examines the proximity of the house to flood plains and whether
the property is in an area affected by radon gas.
- Other Matters - Other features of note to homebuyers, including telecommunications
masts
Plansearch Plus
Plansearch Plus provides essential planning, neighbourhood and local amenity information.
It supports the homebuyer in making an informed decision by supplying quality information
for the property and surrounding area, and provides peace of mind by helping to
reveal any potential surprises around the corner.
Get the planning information that could vitally affect your client's new home
When you're carrying out searches on a client's property, are you getting the complete
picture? Standard local authority searches will be restricted to planning applications
on the property itself, with the exception of applications for road and rail which
cover a radius of 200m.
Fully comprehensive planning product
Plansearch Plus details not just commercial and residential applications made since
1997, but also the planning decisions on larger applications up to 250m in every
direction. It also provides a summary of policies for future development and land
use within a 500m radius of the property in addition to local plans policies - unique
to Plansearch Plus.
Examples of the applications it could reveal include:
- Plans to construct a telecommunications mast
- A new local nightclub causing late night noise and disturbance
- The development of a supermarket or a factory nearby, ruining the current view from
the property and maybe increasing road traffic
This unique report, which is illustrated and user friendly, provides detailed information
as follows:
- Aerial photography
- Planning applications since 1997
- Decisions on larger applications (where available)
- Adopted local plan policies specific to the search area
- Latest deposit draft local plan policies specific to the search area
- Details of telecoms masts
- Details of footpaths and rights of way
- Information on local housing and population
- Nearest local schools and colleges with information on performance
- The local council and council tax rates
- The local police force and statistics on crime
- Nearest amenities including restaurants, bars, shops and healthcare facilities
Plansearch Plus is available within 48 hours from receipt of order.