How long do conveyancing searches take?

neilio

I'm selling my flat, and I think I am close to exchanging contracts. However, when I spoke to my solicitor a week ago, she told me that when she asked the purchaser solicitor if they had obtained their search results, their response was, "we have applied for them."

After a flurry of communication between the two solicitors over the last few days, my solicitor believes we are now in a position to exchange. But her latest email yesterday again asks the question for them to confirm that they have the search results.

The process was halted at the very beginning by the buyer due to an issue that has since been resolved. As of 19 September, the buyer resumed the conveyancing. I suspect that the application for the searches occurred on that date at the earliest. If that is the case, would they be back by now?

Surrey_EA

Most of the searches a buyer's solicitor will normally apply for cane be obtained online (drainage, water...). The exception being the local authority search which is produced by the relevant local authority. As such the time taken will vary from one local authority to another. In most cases it will be about a fortnight, but could be longer.

It is quite likely that the results of the local authority search will result in the buyer's solicitor asking further questions of the seller's solicitor.

Bonfire_Bride

I would allow 3 weeks for seaches.


Once these searches have all been returned, the buyers will most likely raise some further enquiries with you via solicitor.


After this, you will need to sign TR1 (transfer of title docs) and the contract and return this to solicitor along with responses to any queries.


I think you may THEN be close to exchange