Searches advice....

sandraslice

Hi,

We are awaiting the search to come back from the house we are buying. Apparently the water one is in, just awaiting a personal search, does this sound right?

I have spoken with the council and they said we can collect a search ourselves if we pay £11 and it will be done in an hour. They said the search company coming into to do it are booked dn next week, and then we would have to wait for the report back. So therefore I think its worth it, to get it this week..

Now they did mention that there is a full search for £140 or so that takes longer but this hasnt been applied for, only the personal one, does this mean that the other one is not required by our solicitor.. And asuming it is required but hasn't been applied for, and wanting to exchange next week, someone mentioned i could buy a insurance to cover the searches..

Does anyone know if this is true, and the costs and timescales for such insurance..

I could wait til tomorrow to speak to my solicitor, but you know how it is,,, can't wait , house buying has made me lose the plot...

Thanks for any help...

charliee_3

it might have been in my post.. someone up our chain had a problem with the searches as they were a week out of date and the lender wouldnt use them. They initially woudlnt accpet an indemnity policy so demanded new searches which woudl have pushed back our completion date, but they found a policy they woudl accept. I dont know if the lender would accept an indemnity for searches that havent been done yet.. these were just a few days out of date... i dont know how much it cost but they found it yesterday and we exchanged today.

sandraslice

Hi,

I read you had exchanged, congratulations.. the seller did have searches done over a year ago, he couldnt sell so rented it instead.. Our solicitor asked for them to be done again,,,

sandraslice

Hi,

Does anyone have anymore info please, before i hit another restless night of sleep..

Blood pressure is not getting lower !!!!

clutton_2

the £150 odd searches are mandatory for the lenders requirements - the cheaper ones you can collect yourself are things like local council traffic planning for the future.

There are "Search Companies" who claim they can get this information out of councils a lot quicker than sols can - but of course there is a charge - ask your own sol in the morning.

G_M

Personal searches are quick and cheap. They show up most issues. But are not as thorough as full searches, and often are not accepted by banks for mortgage purposes. So if you need a full search (your solicitor will advise) then be patient. If you are getting a personal search done by a search company, well, you might as well pay £11 and do it yourself.....!

Doozergirl

The difference between personal searches and official ones is insurance backing, as far as I am aware.

I am not sure that the council would answer all the right questions for £11 - the impression I got was that I would look for the answers myself and they would charge me £11. For £95 (in my area), they do it and they are liable for their responses.

Companies that offer personal searches carried out by members of their team can offer an inusrance backing as well but it isn't as regarded as an official search.

That's just my understanding. the searches will come back eventually - it's not long in the grand scheme.

sandraslice

Thanks for all your replies,,, Apparently our Building Society will accept a personal search,, ding dong.!! Being done Tuesday....

Now, pessamist solicitor, still says dont start packing as it could still fall through...The search is the last item that we need before exchange, (absolutely everything else is in) there are three of us in the chain,, We all want to complete by the 10th July...

Our house has been cleared of all junk, loft all boxed (not much in it) etc, and so whats left in the hgouse is what we are definitely taking...

Million dollar question...

As its about two weeks to possible move day, would you start packing or would you wait til exchange which would hopefully be by Thursday next week,,...