What searches do I need when buying a house?
Most buyers with a mortgage need a local authority search, a drainage and water search and an environmental search, plus mining or other searches depending on location. Your conveyancer orders them after your offer is accepted. MoneyHelper budgets £250 to £300, and results can take from a few days to several weeks.
What searches are for
Conveyancing searches are enquiries made of councils, water companies and data providers about a property. They reveal legal and environmental matters that a viewing cannot, and they give your conveyancer the information needed to advise you and to satisfy your lender. Your solicitor or conveyancer arranges them once your offer is accepted, and you usually pay up front, even if the sale later falls through.
The three main searches
| Search | What it covers | Comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Local authority search (LLC1 and CON29) | Local land charges such as listed status, conservation areas and tree preservation orders, plus council answers on roads, rail schemes, planning decisions, building regulations, notices and contaminated land | The council, HM Land Registry for LLC1 in migrated areas, or a personal search company |
| Drainage and water search | Whether the home is connected to mains water and sewers, and how drains run | Usually through the water company |
| Environmental search | Contaminated land, flood risk and radon | Specialist data providers |
Your conveyancer will also check the title at HM Land Registry to confirm the seller owns the property. The local search looks at council records and does not involve anyone inspecting the home. HM Land Registry is taking over local land charges from councils, with an official LLC1 costing £15 in migrated areas. It expected all councils in England and Wales to move by 2028. CON29 replies stay with the council.
Extra searches that depend on location
- Coal mining: in a former coalfield your conveyancer will usually order a report. You can run the Mining Remediation Authority's free online check yourself. Reports start at £27 plus VAT and usually arrive within 24 to 48 hours.
- Other mining and ground stability: your conveyancer decides from the location whether a specialist report is sensible.
- Chancel repair: an optional check for a historic liability to help pay for church repairs. Ask your conveyancer whether it is worth doing.
- Planning on nearby land: the local search only relates to the property itself. A separate plan search can show permissions and planning policies nearby, typically within 250 metres, up to the date it is run.
What searches cost
There is no fixed price. Councils set their own fees, and conveyancers often charge for searches as a bundle, so ask for an itemised quote.
| Item | Guide cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Searches overall | £250 to £300 | MoneyHelper |
| Bundle of the main reports through a conveyancer | Around £200 to £260 | HomeOwners Alliance |
| Official council local search | About £50 to £250 | HomeOwners Alliance |
| Personal local search company | Usually £75 to £120 | HomeOwners Alliance |
| Drainage report | About £30 to £40 plus VAT | HomeOwners Alliance |
| Environmental report | About £30 to £35 plus VAT | HomeOwners Alliance |
Treat these as a rough guide. Some conveyancers quote higher totals once extra searches, VAT and admin are included.
How long searches take
The local authority search is usually the slow one. The HomeOwners Alliance reports a range from 48 hours to several weeks, and cites a target of 10 working days, but a Property Searches Direct survey in August 2025 found some councils taking 25 to 45 working days. Environmental reports are generally the quickest. Your conveyancer can tell you the current wait at your council, and a personal search may be faster where your lender accepts one.
Searches also go out of date. The UK Finance Lenders' Handbook says searches, except where there is a priority period, must be no more than six months old at settlement, so a slow chain can mean paying again. Gov.uk says buying a home takes about five months on average, which leaves little room in a long chain.
Do cash buyers need searches?
Lenders insist on searches, but they are not compulsory if you are buying without a mortgage. Most cash buyers still have them. Skipping them means you could inherit an unpaid charge, a planning problem or a drainage issue with no warning. Your conveyancer may mention search indemnity insurance, which protects against specific financial losses but does not tell you what a search would have shown.
Where a Doorstep Report fits
A Doorstep Report does not replace your conveyancer's searches, and neither your conveyancer nor your lender will treat it as one. It is research you can do earlier, before you have spent anything on legal work. It brings together public records for an address in England or Wales, including sale history, the EPC, nearby planning applications in England, current flood alerts with area flood screening where available, and crime figures.
That helps in two ways. You can drop a home early if something puts you off, and you can tell your conveyancer what worried you. Searches then confirm the legal position. They also sit alongside a survey, which covers the building. For the wider picture, see what to check before buying a house.
This guide covers England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own processes, including property certificates in Northern Ireland. In June 2026 the government announced plans for seller information packs and earlier binding contracts. Those are proposals, not law, and had no confirmed start date when this guide was checked.
Questions, answered
Are searches compulsory when buying a house?
They are not a legal requirement for every buyer, but mortgage lenders insist on them. Cash buyers can choose, though most still have them done.
Can I do conveyancing searches myself?
You can look at much of the information yourself, but the HomeOwners Alliance advises against relying on a DIY search because it takes specialist knowledge. If you have a mortgage, your lender will expect your conveyancer to arrange them.
When in the process are searches done?
They are ordered after your offer is accepted and reviewed by your conveyancer before you exchange, so you can still walk away or renegotiate if something comes up.
What happens if a search finds a problem?
Your conveyancer will explain what it means and what to do. Options include asking the seller for more information, seeking a price reduction, arranging insurance or pulling out before exchange.