Personal Search quoting 43 day timeframe. Local search direct stating 20 days

tommyt-saver

Hi all, 

We had our searches request put through by the Solicitor on May 27th and she mentioned that the Local Search was showing as "not due until the 10th July".
I was expecting 20 days, as this was the lead time showing on the Waltham Forest website (local authority). 
However, I now realise that my solicitor uses a Personal Search instead of direct, so maybe this is a true timeline according to their current work load? 

Just wanted to check if a 43 day turnaround for a personal search sounds right at the moment? I've got all fingers crossed it's returned before that! 

goodwithsaving

It depends on the LA. My understanding, having enquired about this is; personal searches are taking a bit longer because, where agents used to book a slot to go in and access the records, LA teams are going through the records and emailing them to the agents which obviously takes a longer time with the direct search requests to oversee too. (Defeats the point of using personal searches to be honest, as the LA team has to do it in the first place anyway). Due to COVID it has become more difficult for agents to book slots etc.

Thrugelmir

tommyt-saver said:

I was expecting 20 days, as this was the lead time showing on the Waltham Forest website (local authority). 

Is that working days only?  Weekends and bank holidays would have added 9 days on top. 

Priority will be given to June completions with the stamp duty cut off looming.  . 

tommyt-saver

goodwithsaving said:

It depends on the LA. My understanding, having enquired about this is; personal searches are taking a bit longer because, where agents used to book a slot to go in and access the records, LA teams are going through the records and emailing them to the agents which obviously takes a longer time with the direct search requests to oversee too. (Defeats the point of using personal searches to be honest, as the LA team has to do it in the first place anyway). Due to COVID it has become more difficult for agents to book slots etc.

That's what it's feeling like, a bit pointless compared. Sure it saves me £100, but double the time is a large trade off. Wish i'd enquired about this earlier on, but FTB lesson learned. 

tommyt-saver

Thrugelmir said:

tommyt-saver said:

I was expecting 20 days, as this was the lead time showing on the Waltham Forest website (local authority). 

Is that working days only?  Weekends and bank holidays would have added 9 days on top. 

Priority will be given to June completions with the stamp duty cut off looming.  . 

Thanks for the response... it looks like just 20 days. here's what is quoted on the LA's website: 

Due to the Stamp Duty holiday, the demand for the Local Land Charges Service has risen significantly.

As a result, we advise that your searches are submitted before the 7 June 2021 no later than 3pm to receive your results before the Stamp Duty holiday ends on the 30 June 2021.

Any search submitted after the 7 June 2021 at 3pm will not be sent back before the 30 June 2021.

Looks like they could have had it back by the 30th June for submission up to 7th June. Maybe it is as @goodwithsaving said and it's an extra layer of communication between the Personal Search company and LA that's counterintuitive. 

tommyt-saver

So, quick update here. 
Up until today, we had no update on the searches from solicitor, so I emailed the LA to see if I could nudge them a bit in our favour. 
They responded within 20 mins saying that the searches were returned within a week on the 4th June (!!) and to check with our solicitor. 
Solicitor said they are mistaken as they only came back yesterday and enquiries have been made since then. 

i don't know what's gone on, but if the LA are being truthful and we've had an extra 25 day wait, that is hard to swallow. We've got a baby coming in 2 months so every moment counts at the second! 

Lesson learned for all those currently waiting for searches... find out the LA's contact email and enquire with them. It may at least give them a nudge, if not highlight who needs chasing beyond them. 

Irishpearce26

tommyt-saver said:

So, quick update here. 
Up until today, we had no update on the searches from solicitor, so I emailed the LA to see if I could nudge them a bit in our favour. 
They responded within 20 mins saying that the searches were returned within a week on the 4th June (!!) and to check with our solicitor. 
Solicitor said they are mistaken as they only came back yesterday and enquiries have been made since then. 

i don't know what's gone on, but if the LA are being truthful and we've had an extra 25 day wait, that is hard to swallow. We've got a baby coming in 2 months so every moment counts at the second! 

Lesson learned for all those currently waiting for searches... find out the LA's contact email and enquire with them. It may at least give them a nudge, if not highlight who needs chasing beyond them. 

Also bear in mind that the LA searches form 1 of 3 carried out. The water & drainage and environment searches can take longer than the LA searches. Your solicitor wont do anything until all are in.