Land registry search notification

btcp

I am subscribed to email notification from land registry for our house. I just received one saying the search was done on behalf of XXX bank. We are hoping to exchange in the next week or so. What does that search mean, any ideas?  

user1977

Yes, it means the sale of your house is progressing and the solicitors have ordered a search. You should only really start worrying about notifications if you weren't in the middle of selling your house!

btcp

Thanks, it makes sense. I was thinking that searches are normally done at the start of the process and not just before the exchange...

Thrugelmir

Checks will be undertaken to ensure no changes since the process commenced. 

Land_Registry

The Property Alert notification is triggered by us receiving a significant application, for example either an official search (OS1) or an application to update the register (AP1)
The type of searches you are referring to are most likely checks with local authority and confirming what’s on the registered title eg confirm owner/seller (OC1 - official copies) 
As Thrugelmir posts checks are then made at a later stage with us to see if anything has changed since those first checks. That later check is made by doing a priority search (OS1) which not only confirms that nothings changed since that first OC1 check but it also gives your buyer a 6 week priority window to submit the final purchase/register update. 

If they are buying with a mortgage the OS1 is made to protect that, known as a legal charge 

The Property Alert service is aimed at helping protect you against property fraud so if you aren’t selling it would be odd to get a notification. 

If you are selling then you’d expect to be notified through the service