Conveyancing search companies how do they work

How Conveyancing Search Companies Work (UK)

In England and Wales, when you buy or remortgage a property, your solicitor orders property searches to uncover legal, environmental, and planning issues. Conveyancing search companies act as intermediaries between your solicitor and the organisations that hold this information.

🏢 What Is a Conveyancing Search Company?

A conveyancing search company is a specialist provider that:

• Orders property searches from local authorities and data providers
• Compiles results into standardised reports
• Returns them quickly to the solicitor handling the transaction

Well-known UK providers include:

• SearchFlow
• tmgroup
• Groundsure
• Armalytix (data/verification tools used alongside searches)

Your solicitor typically has an account with one of these providers and orders searches through their online portal.

🔍 What Searches Do They Arrange?

Here are the main searches usually ordered:

1️⃣ Local Authority Search

Obtains information from the relevant council about:

• Planning permissions
• Building regulations approvals
• Enforcement notices
• Road schemes affecting the property

Data comes from the local council (e.g., Manchester City Council).

2️⃣ Environmental Search

Checks for:

• Flood risk
• Contaminated land
• Subsidence
• Radon gas

Often compiled using data from agencies such as:

• Environment Agency

3️⃣ Water & Drainage Search

Confirms:

• Whether the property is connected to mains water/sewer
• Location of public drains
• Water authority responsibility

4️⃣ Other Optional Searches

Depending on location:

• Coal/mining searches
• HS2 rail searches
• Chancel repair liability
• Planning report (nearby developments)

⚙️ Step-by-Step: How the Process Works

1. Buyer instructs solicitor
2. Solicitor orders searches via a search company’s portal
3. Search company gathers data from councils and data providers
4. Results compiled into reports
5. Reports returned to solicitor
6. Solicitor reviews and raises enquiries if needed

Typical turnaround time:

• 2–10 working days (longer if local authority backlogs exist)

💰 How They Make Money

Search companies:

• Charge solicitors per search
• Add a small admin/processing margin
• May offer bundled search packages

Buyers ultimately pay this cost as part of their conveyancing fees (often £200–£400 total for standard searches).

🏛️ Regulated or Not?

Search companies themselves aren’t solicitors, but many are members of:

• Property Codes Compliance Board

Solicitors using them are regulated by:

• Solicitors Regulation Authority

🧠 Why Not Just Go Direct to the Council?

You technically can order some searches yourself, but:

• It’s slower and more complex
• Lenders require official formats
• Solicitors prefer standardised reports

Search companies streamline the process and reduce administrative burden.