Glossary of searches and surveys

gem599

Hi,

Could any kind person help make it clearer. Have got several quotes from different solicitors and they all seem to include different searches.
e.g. chancel search, environmental search, mining search, drainage search, local search, flood risk search...

My questions are these:

• What are they?!
• Are any optional?
• Are any of them covered by HIPs
• Is there a difference between a survey with the mortgage and a home buyers survey!

Thanks in advance

Fire_Fox

Survey with a mortgage isn't a survey at all, it's a valuation and it's for the benefit of the lender not you! Homebuyer's Reports and full structural surveys are for your benefit so you don't end up buying a money-pit. What each includes can be found on the RICS website but basically you want a Homebuyer's for a more modern house that doesn't have any obvious problems, and a full structural on anything older OR that you think might have problem. Always get permission from the vendor for the surveyor to go into the loft and to lift any carpets, and advise the surveyor you expect this.

There should be information on searches on either a solicitor's website or the local council's website or Google!

david29dpo

The only standard searches in the HIP are the local land charges (from the local council) and the water & drainages search. Ask why you need new ones, could be out of date. A local solicitor will know the area and recommend only the extra searches you will need.

Horizon81

Ok... The solicitors need to do the following:

Drainage Search
Land Registry Check
Local Searches
Bankrupty check on you (if you're getting a mortgage)
Mining Search (depending on area)

They'll probably ask you to pay in advance for all of the searches above.

On top of that there are the following fees, usually paid after completion:

Legal Costs (i.e. their fee for all their time and effort and administration)
Land Registry Registration Fee
Telegraphic transfer of money

From ringing around myself, it seems solicitors explain their price structure in different ways (e.g. when some say legal costs it includes the transfer fees and land registry info) but its only really the total price you're bothered about.

As for the HIP, it includes local searches and drainage as well however if it's over 6 months old, the solicitor will probably need to do them again and charge you for it, thus making the HIP of no real value to anyone except teh company selling it! If the HIP is older than 6 months the solicitor may still use it and charge you for 'HIP insurance' but it all depends on who your lender is as they all have different policies.

And I'll reiterate what was said above. DO commission a Homebuyers Report, as the lenders 'basic valuation' will tell you practically nothing about the condition of the house and anything that's going to cost you £££s.

gem599

Thank you so much. I was just worried about either paying for searches I didn't need, or getting a quote where compulsory searches weren't included in the quote and then get a nasty bill at the end when they were added on!

Am just reading up on chancel searches... makes interesting reading!