Do I have to read the actual conveyancer searches documents?

getmore4less

user1977 said:

Tiglet2 said:

If you don't read the documents and just rely on the solicitor's 'report', you will find it difficult to pursue a case in the future about something you think you weren't told about.  

If it's anything material, then the solicitors ought to be highlighting it to you. It's not much of a defence for them to say it was buried among the reams of stuff they copied to you. Same principle with things like title conditions. That's the whole point of paying the solicitor to provide you with their advice.

There have been a couple of cases here recently where the boundary  caused loads of issues post purchase.

This is one of them
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6271908/property-developer-trying-to-take-land-back-from-young-family/p1

the other was also new build and boundary between 2 developments builder trying to move the fence and claim back part of the garden.

user1977

getmore4less said:

user1977 said:

Tiglet2 said:

If you don't read the documents and just rely on the solicitor's 'report', you will find it difficult to pursue a case in the future about something you think you weren't told about.  

If it's anything material, then the solicitors ought to be highlighting it to you. It's not much of a defence for them to say it was buried among the reams of stuff they copied to you. Same principle with things like title conditions. That's the whole point of paying the solicitor to provide you with their advice.

There have been a couple of cases here recently where the boundary  caused loads of issues post purchase.

This is one of them
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6271908/property-developer-trying-to-take-land-back-from-young-family/p1

the other was also new build and boundary between 2 developments builder trying to move the fence and claim back part of the garden.

Yes, but I wasn't talking about the boundary, I was talking about searches and title conditions.

Like I said above, your solicitor should be asking you to confirm that the extent of the property matches what you viewed.

And of course, in the case of a new build there is likely to be nothing to view at the point you exchange contracts anyway - so the issue in the cases above is more one of what happens if the builders plonk the fences in the wrong place after exchange (or even after completion).

Thrugelmir

Your conveyancer does not view the property. Onus is on you to be happy that what you are buying accords with the legal documentation. Anything that you are not sure about question. After completion it'll be too late. 

housebuyer143

HarveyNichols99 said:

England, FTB.

My solicitor has sent me a summary of their searches, along with the full searches documents. 

I understand and am happy with the summary. There are one or two issues which they'll chase up with the seller.

But am I supposed to read and understand the official searches document? They're about 150 pages and quite technical. Or is the summary enough for a buyer. 

Why shouldn't you want to? I found it very interesting.

RAS

lookstraightahead said:

Would you say the same with deeds? As I had visited our house, it became apparent that the garden wasn't what it should have been. The professionals don't visit the property.

you're paying just hundreds of pounds for a solicitor. You're paying hundreds of thousands for your home. Pointless not reading and then playing the blame game for years.

In my case the ONLY plan referred to the triple plot purchased back in the 19th century. It did indicate that three houses would be built but was mute as to which one I was buying, so the solicitor told me to find out. 

It proved to be a very useful way of meeting the neighbours and alerted several to the fact that they owned half the back street as well as the garden, a distinction left off their plans.

Means we don't pay fees to park skips on our land or get chased about bins.

Slithery

I've always read all of the paperwork, no matter how lengthy.

london21

House purchase is one of the most expensive purchase you will make.
I will go through the summary and all the documents as well.

olgadapolga

Solicitors/conveyancers are only human and do make mistakes. By reading the information you've paid for, these might be spotted before committing to the purchase (I speak from experience!)