11/08/2025
National Moving Day takes place in the UK on 19 August, an event that organisers hope will bring together key players in the home moving industry, including removals, storage, estate agents, and solicitors, to discuss various challenges associated with the conveyancing process.
While around 309,000 house moves took place in the UK in 2023, 61% of movers find the process “stressful”. The average person in the country moves house an average of eight times during their lifetime and those involved in the conveyancing industry are keen to improve the process for everyone involved.
Find out more about National Moving Day on their website. You can also take their survey to leave feedback about your experience of the conveyancing process by clicking here.
Conveyancing Solicitors Near Me
To show our support for National Moving Day, in this blog our experienced Residential Conveyancers lift the lid on a key stage of the conveyancing process by looking at the searches your solicitor undertakes.
What are searches in conveyancing?
Property searches are a key step in the conveyancing process involved in buying a new home. Searches are the series of enquiries made by your solicitor to various public authorities that give you more information about a property you plan to purchase.
Searches examine the range of planning, legal and environmental conditions surrounding a house.
They are designed to highlight any issues with a property that are, or could be, a problem at the time of acquisition or have the potential to be a problem further down the line.
Searches should not be confused with a survey, which looks specifically at a property’s physical state.
When do conveyancing searches happen?
Property lawyers usually begin the searches once an initial offer has been accepted on a property and your mortgage offer has been issued.
Does everyone need to do searches when buying a property?
If you are buying with a mortgage, searches are mandatory. Before they release your mortgage funds, a lender will inform your conveyancer what searches are required to ensure there are no lingering issues associated with a property that might threaten their investment.
If you are a cash buyer, searches are optional, though they should still be undertaken, as they are essential in highlighting any issues with a property.
How many conveyancing searches are carried out?
Exactly what searches are required when you buy a house depends on a property’s location and any particular concerns you have that might need further investigation.
However, there are three main searches done when buying a house.
1. Local Authority Search. This is designed to uncover any potential issues relating to roads, rail and building work that might be planned or already underway and might affect your property.
A local authority search is divided into two parts:
A local land charges certificate (LLC1). This reveals the entries on the Local Land Charges Register, including:
- Listed building status.
- Tree preservation orders.
- Smoke control areas.
- Conditional planning permissions.
- Conservation areas.
- Financial charges registered against the property.
Enquiries of the local authority form (CON29). This helps to establish if the property will remain a worthwhile investment in the future by highlighting, for example:
- Planning history.
- Building control regulations.
- Proposed new roads or traffic schemes.
- Proposed planning enforcement notices.
2. Environmental Search. This surveys historical and current land records to show:
- Contamination of the land.
- Flood risk.
- Ground stability (i.e. subsidence risk).
- Historical coal mining.
- Radon gas.
- Energy and infrastructure (power stations, wind or solar farms).
- Development constraints.
3. Water and Drainage Search. This reveals:
- Whether the property is connected to a mains water supply.
- Whether the property is connected to a public sewer.
- How the property is charged for water and wastewater services.
- Several other searches can be undertaken depending on the results.
Your conveyancer will be able to advise precisely which additional enquiries are required.
How long do searches take?
Searches generally take between two and eight weeks to complete, although this varies depending on the exact nature of the enquiries and how responsive the local authority is.
How long are conveyancing searches valid?
Conveyancing searches generally expire after six months.
If you are buying with a mortgage and your purchase hasn’t gone through in this time, your lender will usually ask that new searches are carried out so that the information remains accurate and up to date.
Conveyancing Solicitor North West
Buying or selling a home requires the assistance of a specialist conveyancing solicitor.
At Russell & Russell, our experienced team of solicitors have been helping clients with property sales and purchases in Bolton, Atherton, Bury, Chester, Farnworth, Horwich and Middleton for many years.
From our offices in the North West, we offer efficient, convenient and cost-effective property services for clients in the local area and across England and Wales.
We are transparent about the costs involved and always provide a written estimate at the outset of a transaction.
The firm is accredited under the Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme, which is the recognised quality standard for residential conveyancing practices.
If you are looking for a conveyancing solicitor to help you with a residential property transaction, our experienced conveyancing solicitors can help.
For more information, or to speak to one of our residential property specialists, please get in touch with Russell & Russell Solicitors.
Call us on 0800 103 2600 or make an online enquiry.
Please note that this article is meant as general guidance and not intended as legal or professional advice. Updates to the law may have changed since this article was published.