A CON29DW search - find out more

A CON29DW search (also known as the CON29DW Drainage and Water Enquiry) is a Law Society copyrighted drainage and water report, based on a property address, and is recommended for every property transaction in England and Wales. It is designed to provide information on the public sewage and water networks and how they are connected to a specific address.

What's in a CON29DW?

The CON29DW has 23 Law Society-approved questions, including two maps. The questions are standard across all water regions, providing the information which the Law Society considers essential to reduce risk in all property transactions.

Each water company produces their own version of a CON29DW but these 23 questions, answers and advisory notes will always be included.

The CON29DW also comes with robust terms and conditions to support conveyancers and their clients. The terms and conditions include £10m liability cover and a commitment that in the unlikely event something isn’t right, we take responsibility for the information provided.

What does a CON29DW reveal?

The key pieces of information in a CON29DW are as follows:

1. Confirmation (or not) of sewerage and water connections for the property
2. Public sewer and water main assets within property boundaries
3. Risks to the property such as sewer flooding history and low water pressure
4. Details of charging and water meter location (if a meter is fitted)
5. Detailed OS maps showing the location of public assets

Why does homebuyers need a CON29DW?

When purchasing a property it’s important to know the full picture on any water and drainage-related issues, as these may later lead to expensive bills for the owner.  Examples of potential issues include:

• Property is not connected to public sewerage or water networks i.e. it may have a septic tank or borehole
• Public assets are located within the property boundary limiting further building and improvements to the property
• Property is prone to internal sewer flooding

All of these can cause difficulties and additional cost to the buyer, as well as causing headaches for the lender and conveyancer.

Who produces the CON29DW?

The CON29DW can only be produced with the Law Society questions by the nine regional water companies, using water company data.  To find which water company deals with a specific address, please visit the official CON29DW site.

Geodesys (part of the Anglian Water Group) produces the CON29DW report for homebuyers in the Anglian Water area and also acts as a reseller of the report for all the other water companies.

Although alternative drainage and water reports are available, known as regulated or personal drainage and water reports, these do not use water company data and data quality may not be as good.

Additional Support

Specialist teams experienced in working with water company data are involved in compiling reports and checking the information provided.  Geodesys offers a specialist after-sales service to deal with any queries or anomalies which may crop up in CON29DW reports.  Our account managers also work with conveyancing firms to provide a CON29DW CPD session.  This can be tailored to the firm.

The Drainage and Water Searches Network (DWSN) sets out clear standards for quality, consumer protection and customer service to ensure a robust standardised search throughout England and Wales.

How long does a CON29DW search take?

The DWSN monitors turnaround times for CON29DW and, on average a CON29DW search is completed within two working days.  This is another reason why it is good to order your drainage and water search directly from a water company, as regulated / personal drainage and water searches tend to take between four and ten days.  

You can check current turnaround times on the official CON29DW website.

To download a CON29DW sample and product card, please see our CON29DW product page. Geodesys can provide you with a CON29DW for any region of England and Wales.