Difference between "personal search" and "official search"

beefturnmail

Hi,

I'm a FTB. Just had an initial letter through from my solicitor and it says

"Please note the local search we intend to carry out is a "personal search" of the local authority carried out by a private search company. the information is not provided by the local authority directly and is backed up by indemnity insurance in case of mistakes. It is possible to commission an "official search" of the local authority which is compiled by the local authority. Please note the cost of an official search may be different from the cost of the personal search quoted and the result may take longer to be received. We charge a supplement of £15.00 plus VAT for carrying out an official search"

Is this normal? Is there any advantage of getting an official search over a personal search?

Any advice appreciated. Thanks

Richard_Webster

Official searches are slightly better, but in most cases the advantage is pretty marginal. A few lenders (HSBC/First Direct are the most prominent) won't accept personal searches.

I notice the difference mainly in connection with highway adoption questions. An official search is likely to have a plan showing the extent of the adopted highway. In most cases this is pretty obvious anyway - a personal search will show that Bloggs Road is adopted and usually this means all the footway and carriageway of that road. However if the road starts off being wide and properly surfaced and then gets narrower but still has a metalled surface and then deteriorates into a rough unmade track, how far down it are the Highway Authority responsible?

So if I could see there might be an issue over the road or rear accessways, I might well make sure I did an official search.

The main advantage of a personal search is that they tend to be a standard price for any Council in the country so a solicitor can log onto a website and order it very quickly and some large firms may have negotiated volume discounts (which they may not pass on).

Councils vary in price from £50 up to well over £200 for some in London and also vary in speed. The personal searches are not necessarily quicker because although they are not meant to, some Councils ration access to the information, so there can be delays and in some cases the official search is a lot quicker than the personal search.

Most of the time the personal search is perfectly OK.