The conveyancing nice list

What’s on your conveyancing search list this Christmas?

With so many searches on the market, it can be hard to know which searches to order and when – especially when it comes to commercial transactions. No two transactions are the same so what searches are you ordering?

Residential

There are 5 key searches that are recommended as standard for residential search packs to help identify any potential risks and issues:

• Title searches to ensure the person selling the house actually owns the property.

• CON29DW to provide the full picture regarding water and sewerage connections and protect your client from unnecessary risk and potential cost in the future.

• Local Authority search to provide up-to-date information on local planning proposals, traffic schemes, conservation areas and compulsory purchase orders in the local area.

• Chancel repair liability to determine if the homebuyer could be subject to pay for chancel repairs.

• Environmental reports to check for a range of environmental concerns including subsidence, contaminated land, flood risk and climate change. We would always recommend a combined environmental report, which covers all these risks. Plus, both many Groundsure and Landmark environmental reports now include climate change data as standard.

These searches help your clients make informed decisions about the property they are buying and hopefully avoid any nasty surprises post-completion.

Commercial

Things get a little more complicated when choosing which searches to purchase for commercial transactions. The first two searches that are required are a Local Authority search, and of course our core product, the CON29DW. The CON29DW Commercial report is specifically tailored for those purchasing or leasing land or commercial property and covers land or buildings used or proposed to be used for commercial activities.

But, when it comes to environmental searches, there are a plethora of searches to choose from, each looking at slightly different things. Whilst you might be tempted to choose an environmental report like you’re choosing from a wine list, going for not quite the cheapest, it is important to make sure that you are choosing the right search for the type of transaction you are dealing with. You need to consider whether the land is being redeveloped, what its current use is, what it will be used for after the sale and so much more. A commercial search pack shouldn’t be ‘standard’ like it is for residential transactions. You need to understand the differences in the types of commercial transactions, and the nuances of the reports to make an informed decision about which report to choose.

At Geodesys, we offer ‘Which Report’ CPD sessions for both residential and commercial search packs. A residential session will evaluate what searches you order now and whether there are better products available to order to ensure your clients are getting the very best information. Our commercial Which Report CPD will review the differences in each type of commercial transaction and educate you on the best searches for each type. Run by our in-house experts, these sessions are a fantastic opportunity to gain greater insight and get ahead in the competitive market.

Get in touch to book a session, and ensure you stay on the nice list this Christmas!