Your Questions Answered Archive
More questions, more answers, from our dedicated team
here at Cozens-Hardy.
Q: I am buying a house and I am just about to give my solicitor a cheque for the searches. I thought that these were all in the Home Information Pack so I am confused and obviously I only want to pay for searches which are essential. Can you explain please?
A: Home Information Packs contain a local authority search and a water search. I assume that you need a mortgage and mortgage companies insist that the local search is no more than six months old. If the property you are buying has been on the market for a long time then your solicitor might need to do an up-todate local search and this will cost approximately £100.
Q: What do these searches reveal?
A: A local search will give information such as the planning history of the property and details of building regulations, if the property is in a conservation area and if there are any tree preservation orders or home improvement grants and whether or not the road is publicly maintained. The water search reveals whether or not the property is connected to the public sewer and to mains water and plans show the location of both.
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