What Are Searches and Surveys When Buying A Property
Your Guide To Searches & Surveys
Buying a property is both exciting and stressful as there is so much to think about to make sure it is the right investment for you – which is why searches and surveys are an important part of the conveyancing process.
Searches and surveys exist to provide information about a particular property so you can make an informed decision about buying it.
Seaches – What Are They?
Searches are an important part of the conveyancing process when you’re buying a property as they provide legal information that guides a potential buyer on whether to make the investment or not.
Your solicitor will carry out 3 main searches on your behalf:
- Local Authority Searches
These provide information on the local area and any issues that might affect a buyer’s use of the property. Example items covered by this search include planning permissions, rights of ways and conservation areas. - Land Registry Searches
These searches provide details of the property’s legal owner, how it’s owned and whether there is a mortgage against the property, as well as legal boundaries and any disputes or claims made against the property. - Additional Searches – Your conveyancer or solicitor will advise you of any additional searches that you need to have carried out for the property you are buying. Such as an environmental search to identify risks or hazards such as flooding or contaminated land, coal mining to identify any subsidence risk to the property and water and drainage to view the location of any main drains within the boundaries of the property.
Searches are carried out by your conveyancer or conveyancing solicitor. As the buyer, you pay for the searches as part of the conveyancing process.
Surveys – What Are They?
Surveys provide information about the property itself – what condition it is in and what might affect its value today or in the future.
Buyers use surveys to help them decide whether to buy the property or to negotiate on the price if issues are revealed.
It is up to the person buying the property to decide whether to have a survey done, and to pay for it.
If buying using a mortgage, the mortgage lender will carry out a survey to check the property’s value. However, this survey is to protect the lender’s interests rather than the buyer’s and, in most cases, it’s advisable to have an independent survey done too before committing to buying the property.
Since 2021, there have been 3 Levels of Home Surveys buyers can choose between:
- Level 1 Survey
This is the most basic survey that will highlight major issues but won’t go into any detail or suggest if repairs are needed. This is suitable for newer properties that are in good condition. - Level 2 Survey
This is the popular choice as it provides more details on the condition of the property and advises on what repairs are likely. This is suitable for most properties. - Level 3 Survey
This survey checks the structure and condition of the property in detail, as well as highlights likely repairs and risks. This is suitable for older properties, those in poor condition, or when there are concerns about a property.
Surveys should be carried out by a member of RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) or RPSA (Residential Property Surveyors Association).
Searches & Surveys
Your solicitor or conveyancer will carry out the searches but won’t arrange a survey of the property. This is your decision and you can choose an independent survey firm for further in-depth information about the property before you proceed with the purchase.
Helping You With Your Searches & Surveys
Our experienced property solicitors and conveyancers are here to help you with the conveyancing process and will ensure you have all the information you need to make an informed decision about buying a property.
We recommend surveys for most property buys generally, although we won’t advise you directly on this with your property purchase. Instead, we’ll suggest you speak to a surveyor about this. The RICS website also has more details on the surveys to help you understand which one is best for you.
Your solicitor will carry out the searches on your behalf and explain the results in plain English, highlighting any risks associated with the property so you can make the right decision.
Throughout the conveyancing process, your solicitor will manage all aspects to make sure the transaction is straightforward, legally compliant and in your best interests.
To speak to us about your potential property purchase or sale, you can contact our conveyancing and property team at our Chorlton office on 0161 860 7123 or email chorlton@hlfberry.com or at our Failsworth office on 0161 681 4005 or email failsworth@hlfberry.com We will be happy to help.
