Searches are a main part of the conveyancing process. They reveal potential new developments and environmental risks on properties, as well as whether or not they are susceptible to subsidence. Property and conveyancing solicitors in Glasgow searches, also referred to as due diligence checks, involve inquiries conducted by your solicitor or conveyancer with local authorities and environmental agencies about your proposed purchase of real property with a mortgage. A property search or conveyancing search are legal requirements when purchasing with a mortgage.
Local authority searches
The local authority search, also referred to as an official or personal search, is one of the primary searches conducted by conveyancers. It involves researching any issues that could impact a property from local council records, including footpaths, road proposals, noise abatement measures, and any outstanding completion notices.
Your solicitor will advise on this. Results typically arrive between a few days and several weeks, depending on where your property is situated.
Your solicitor will conduct a chancel repair search, which checks that the seller does not owe any costs related to church repairs affecting your property, as per law. This requirement is necessary when purchasing properties with mortgages.
Environmental Searches
A conveyancer will also conduct an environmental search that will reveal whether the property in question lies on contaminated or waste sites; whether there are flood-risk areas nearby; whether mining land has been used; and whether there have been issues such as subsidence, landslips, or radon gas emissions nearby.
Finally, a drainage and water search is conducted to ascertain details on public sewers near your property, which could impact any plans to extend or remodel in the future. In addition, this search reveals any drainage systems connected with it as well as how the water supplier connects.
Chancel Repair Searches
As part of the conveyancing process, conveyancing solicitors in Glasgow conduct property searches on your behalf. These inquiries cover everything from planning permission and access rights to drainage issues.
Property inspections often reveal issues that require further consideration or may even prompt you to back out of a transaction altogether. Repair costs can quickly add up, so it is wise to gain as much insight as possible before exchanging contracts on a property.
Some searches are required by your mortgage lender, while others are recommended by the Law Society as best practice. Search indemnity insurance provides protection from potential problems caused by failing to conduct these checks. You can learn more by searching online.
Title Plan Searches
Most searches should begin shortly after accepting an offer and instructing conveyancing solicitors, while some searches are delayed until closer to completion (usually just prior) due to specific issues related to locality; for instance, coal searches near old mining sites and flood searches for properties located in an area prone to flooding.
Searches are an integral component of the legal process, providing essential insight into purchasing property with all the knowledge required. Without them, it may become apparent later that debt has been secured against it or that there is a risk of flooding or subsidence; you could also miss out on valuable information such as planning applications for roadworks or environmental concerns that need addressing.
Land Registry Searches
Land Registry pre-completion searches verify that the person selling you their property is its legal owner and check whether they have filed for bankruptcy, providing assurance that your purchase is legal and sound.
This search will disclose whether or not the property you’re purchasing backs onto common land or village greens, thus precluding future plans for development. Furthermore, this investigation can verify whether your property will likely be affected by High-Speed Two (HS2), which connects London, Birmingham, and north-west England with trains travelling at speeds up to 225mph.
Conveyancing searches are essential when buying any property, as sellers do not reveal all relevant information, and searches will reveal any issues that might impede the purchase process. Your lender may even insist on certain conveyancing searches to qualify you for financing.