What Do Buyer's Searches Check?

When you accept an offer on your home, your buyer's solicitor will order a set of property searches as part of the conveyancing process. These searches are background checks on your property and the area around it. They look for hidden issues that could affect the buyer's decision to proceed, the price they are willing to pay, or their ability to get a mortgage.

As a seller, you do not order or pay for these searches in the traditional process. But you absolutely need to understand what they check, because the results will determine what questions the buyer's solicitor asks you — and how quickly you respond can make or break the sale.

This guide explains each search from the seller's perspective: what it covers, what it might reveal about your property, and how to prepare so nothing catches you off guard.

Why should sellers care about buyer's searches?

It is tempting to think of property searches as the buyer's problem. After all, they are the ones paying for them. But the results directly affect your sale in three important ways:

• Searches generate enquiries you must answer. When the buyer's solicitor finds something in the search results that needs clarification, they raise a formal enquiry with your solicitor. You then need to provide an explanation, documentation, or both. The faster you respond, the faster the sale progresses.
• Unexpected findings cause delays and renegotiation. If searches reveal something the buyer was not expecting — flood risk, missing building control certificates, a planned road scheme — they may ask for a price reduction, request indemnity insurance, or in serious cases withdraw entirely.
• Delays from searches are the top cause of slow conveyancing. The Home Buying and Selling Group has identified the wait for search results as the single largest contributor to the time between offer acceptance and exchange. Anything you can do to shorten this wait helps protect your sale.

The bottom line: if you know what the searches will find before the buyer's solicitor orders them, you can prepare your responses in advance and keep the sale moving. That is exactly what Pine helps sellers do.

The standard search pack: what your buyer's solicitor orders

Every residential property transaction in England and Wales follows a broadly similar search process. The buyer's solicitor orders a standard set of searches, which typically includes the following four core searches plus any additional ones relevant to the property's location.

1. Local authority search (LLC1 and CON29R)

The local authority search is the most important — and the slowest — search in the standard pack. It consists of two parts submitted to the local council where your property is located:

• LLC1 (Local Land Charges Register search) — Checks the council's register for financial charges and restrictions on your property. This can reveal listed building status, tree preservation orders, conservation area designations, planning enforcement notices, smoke control zones, and Article 4 directions.
• CON29R (required enquiries) — A standardised set of questions put to the council covering planning history, building control records, road adoption status, contaminated land entries, radon risk, and more. The form is published by the Law Society and is uniform across all local authorities.

What it might reveal about your property: Planning applications (approved, refused, or pending) near or on the property. Missing building control completion certificates for works you or a previous owner carried out. Whether the road serving your property is adopted by the highway authority or privately maintained. Conservation area or listed building restrictions. Any outstanding planning enforcement notices.

Typical cost: £80–£150.
Typical turnaround: 2–6 weeks. Some councils take 8 weeks or longer during busy periods.

This search is the single biggest cause of conveyancing delays. If you want to understand how to tackle it, our guide on how to speed up conveyancing as a seller covers practical steps.

2. Drainage and water search

This search is submitted to the relevant water and sewerage company (such as Thames Water, Severn Trent, or United Utilities) and reveals information about your property's water supply and drainage connections.

What it checks:

• Whether the property is connected to the public mains water supply and public sewer
• The location of public sewers and water mains near or under the property
• Whether any public sewers run through the property boundaries, which can restrict building work
• Whether the water supply is metered or unmetered
• Whether there are any adoption agreements for sewers serving the property

What it might reveal about your property: A public sewer running under your garden or extension is a common finding. Under the Water Industry Act 1991, water companies have a right to access and maintain public sewers. Building within 3 metres of a public sewer requires the water company's approval. If your property relies on a private drainage system such as a septic tank, this will also be flagged and the buyer will want to know about maintenance arrangements.

Typical cost: £40–£70.
Typical turnaround: 5–10 working days.

3. Environmental search

The environmental search checks for contamination, flooding, and ground stability risks using data from the Environment Agency, the British Geological Survey, and other sources.

What it checks:

• Contaminated land — Whether the site or nearby land has ever been used as a landfill, petrol station, factory, or other potentially polluting activity
• Flood risk — Whether the property is in a flood zone, using Environment Agency data that classifies areas from Flood Zone 1 (minimal risk) to Flood Zone 3 (high risk)
• Ground stability — Subsidence risk from clay shrinkage, old mines, sinkholes, or other geological hazards
• Radon gas — Whether the property is in an area with elevated levels of naturally occurring radon, as mapped by the UK Health Security Agency
• Energy and infrastructure — Proximity to overhead power lines, substations, phone masts, and similar installations

What it might reveal about your property: Results are typically colour-coded — green (pass/low risk), amber (moderate risk, further investigation recommended), and red (fail/high risk, action required). An amber or red result does not automatically stop the sale, but the buyer's solicitor will raise enquiries. Properties in Flood Zone 3 may struggle to obtain buildings insurance, which can be a deal-breaker for some buyers.

Typical cost: £30–£60.
Typical turnaround: 24–48 hours (electronic data search).

4. Chancel repair liability search

Under a medieval law that was never fully repealed, owners of certain properties in England and Wales can be liable for the cost of repairing the chancel of their local parish church. The Land Registration Act 2002 allowed churches to protect this right by registering a notice on the Land Registry title. The deadline for registration was 12 October 2013.

What it checks: Whether a chancel repair liability notice has been registered against the property's title at HM Land Registry.

What it might reveal about your property: If a notice is registered, the buyer may request chancel repair indemnity insurance, which typically costs a one-off premium of £20 to £50. This is a routine matter and rarely causes a sale to fall through.

Typical cost: £4–£25.
Typical turnaround: Same day (electronic search).

Additional searches your buyer may order

Depending on your property's location and characteristics, the buyer's solicitor may order additional searches beyond the standard pack.

Mining search (CON29M)

Ordered if the property is in a coal mining reporting area (roughly 42% of properties in England, according to the Coal Authority). It checks for past, present, and future coal mining activity, mine entries near the property, and subsidence claims.

Typical cost: £40–£55.
Typical turnaround: 1–3 working days.

Flood risk report

While flood risk data is included in the standard environmental search, some mortgage lenders or conveyancers may request a more detailed standalone flood risk report. This provides a property-specific assessment covering river flooding, surface water flooding, groundwater flooding, and historic flood data.

Typical cost: £10–£30 as a standalone report.
Typical turnaround: Same day.

CON29O optional enquiries

The CON29O form covers additional questions that can be added to the local authority search. These include public footpaths and rights of way, common land, environmental notices, hedgerow preservation, and noise abatement zones. Each question is priced individually at £10 to £30.

Land Registry title search

Although not part of the formal search pack, the buyer's solicitor will always obtain official copies of the title register and title plan from HM Land Registry. These confirm who owns the property, the boundaries, whether it is freehold or leasehold, and any restrictions, covenants, or charges on the title.

Typical cost: £3–£7 per document.
Typical turnaround: Instant (online).

Summary: what each search checks and why it matters

What happens when searches flag an issue?

Finding an issue in a search does not automatically mean the sale is over. In fact, most searches flag at least one or two points that need follow-up. Here is the typical process from the seller's perspective:

1. The buyer's solicitor raises enquiries. They write to your solicitor asking for an explanation or documentation about something the search revealed. For example, they might ask why a building control completion certificate was not issued for an extension, or whether a nearby planning application affects the property.
2. Your solicitor asks you to respond. You need to provide the information, documents, or explanations requested. If you have completed your property information forms thoroughly, many questions can be answered by referring to information you have already provided.
3. The parties negotiate if needed. Depending on the severity of the issue, the buyer may accept your explanation, request indemnity insurance (often at your expense), ask for a price reduction, or request that you carry out remedial work before exchange.
4. In serious cases, the buyer may withdraw. Major issues such as high flood risk, significant contamination, or a planned infrastructure project that fundamentally affects the property can cause a buyer to pull out. For more on this, see our guide on what happens if searches reveal problems.

The speed at which you respond to enquiries is critical. Every day of delay is a day the buyer might get cold feet, find another property, or lose patience. Conveyancing enquiries are one of the most underestimated causes of sales falling through.

How to prepare for your buyer's searches

The best thing you can do as a seller is remove the element of surprise. If you know what the searches will reveal, you can prepare your documentation and responses before the buyer's solicitor even raises the first enquiry. Here is how:

Order your own searches upfront

Sellers can order a full search pack — including local authority, drainage, environmental, and chancel repair searches — before listing the property. This is sometimes called a seller's search pack or upfront information pack. The benefits are significant:

• You eliminate the 2–6 week wait for the local authority search, which is the biggest single bottleneck in the conveyancing timeline
• You know exactly what the results say and can prepare your responses to any enquiries in advance
• Your property becomes more attractive to buyers and their solicitors because the legal due diligence can begin immediately

If the searches are from a regulated provider with insurance backing and are less than 6 months old, most buyer solicitors and mortgage lenders will accept them. Pine helps sellers order searches at near-trade prices as part of getting sale-ready before listing.

Complete your property information forms thoroughly

Many post-search enquiries arise because the buyer's solicitor wants information the seller should have provided upfront on the TA6 (Property Information Form) or TA10 (Fittings and Contents Form). Completing these forms fully and honestly from the start saves weeks of back-and-forth later. Our guide on speeding up conveyancing as a seller explains exactly how to do this.

Gather supporting documents

Before your buyer's searches come back, gather any documents that might be relevant:

• Building control completion certificates for any building work carried out (extensions, conversions, structural changes)
• Planning permission approvals and any conditions that were discharged
• FENSA or CERTASS certificates for replacement windows or doors
• Electrical installation certificates for any rewiring or significant electrical work
• Gas Safe certificates for boiler installations
• Guarantees and warranties for damp proofing, timber treatment, or other specialist work

Having these to hand means your solicitor can respond to enquiries within days rather than weeks. That speed advantage can be the difference between a smooth sale and one that drags on or falls apart.

Be upfront about known issues

If you already know about something the searches will reveal — whether that is flood risk, a public sewer under the garden, or a nearby planning application — disclose it early. Surprises erode trust between buyers and sellers. Issues that are disclosed and explained upfront are far less likely to derail the sale than those discovered unexpectedly during searches.

Common search findings that affect sellers

Here are the most frequently encountered search findings that lead to post-search enquiries for sellers:

• Missing building control completion certificates. This is the single most common issue. If the CON29R shows that building regulations approval was applied for but no completion certificate was issued, the buyer's solicitor will invariably raise it. The usual resolution is either obtaining a regularisation certificate from building control or taking out indemnity insurance.
• Unadopted roads. If the road serving the property is not maintained at public expense, the buyer will want to know who is responsible for repairs. This is common with newer developments where roads have not yet been adopted by the highway authority.
• Flood risk classification. Properties in Flood Zone 2 or 3 will face additional scrutiny. The buyer may struggle to get buildings insurance at a reasonable premium, and some mortgage lenders impose conditions or decline to lend altogether for properties in Flood Zone 3.
• Public sewer under the property. This restricts what the buyer can build within 3 metres of the sewer without the water company's approval. It is a common finding and rarely stops a sale, but it needs to be disclosed.
• Nearby planning applications or developments. The CON29R will reveal planning applications near the property. Major schemes — a new housing development, commercial building, or road widening — can affect the property's value and the buyer's willingness to proceed.
• Conservation area or listed building restrictions. These limit what alterations can be made to the property. While not necessarily negative, they may affect the buyer's plans and need to be clearly explained.

How long the search process takes: a realistic timeline

Understanding the timeline helps you plan and set expectations with your buyer. Here is a realistic breakdown of how long each element of the search process takes:

In total, the search process — from the buyer's solicitor ordering searches to both sides being satisfied with the responses — typically takes 6 to 12 weeks. If you order searches upfront, you can reduce this to as little as 2 to 4 weeks by eliminating the local authority wait and having your responses ready from day one.

Sources and further reading

• Law Society — Conveyancing Protocol and standard search forms (CON29R, CON29O): lawsociety.org.uk
• HM Land Registry — Official copies of title registers and search for local land charges: gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry
• Environment Agency — Long-term flood risk information: check-long-term-flood-risk.service.gov.uk
• Coal Authority — Interactive map of coal mining reporting areas: gov.uk/government/organisations/the-coal-authority
• Local Land Charges Act 1975 — Legislation governing local land charges searches: legislation.gov.uk
• Water Industry Act 1991 — Rights of water companies regarding public sewers: legislation.gov.uk
• Environmental Protection Act 1990, Part 2A — Contaminated land regime: legislation.gov.uk
• Home Buying and Selling Group — Research on conveyancing delays and search timelines: homebuyingandsellinggroup.co.uk
• National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team — Material Information in Property Listings guidance: ntselat.uk

Related guides

• Why Is the Buyer\u2019s Solicitor Raising So Many Enquiries?

Frequently asked questions