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Cash buyer Searches

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maimee_magic
maimee_magic Posts: 392 Forumite
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edited 21 October 2019 at 9:14AM in House buying, renting & selling
I'm buying an Edwardian house for cash in an area I know well and wondering whether to bother with the Personal and Drainage and Water Searches. It's in an area i know well and have looked on the council's planning portal for any applications etc. The house has never been extended. Is it worthwhile getting them or a waste of money?

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  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596 Forumite
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    If you understand what the searches cover, and you're happy with your own research, then there's no reason to get your own.

    The halfway house is to get search insurance, which is cheaper and faster than actually getting searches.
  • maimee_magic
    maimee_magic Posts: 392 Forumite
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    If I get just the drainage and water search will I receive a map of where the drains are so I can see if it's a shared drain and where they are if I decided to do an extension at a later date?
  • loubel
    loubel Posts: 824 Forumite
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    You will get a plan showing the known drains, but it is unlikely to be comprehensive as ownership of shared drains changed a few years ago.

    I would think if you just wanted one search it would be the local, to ensure that you are not going to take on any otherwise unknown liabilities on the property.
  • maimee_magic
    maimee_magic Posts: 392 Forumite
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    Thanks for taking the time to reply. What sort of unknown liabilities could there be?
  • loubel
    loubel Posts: 824 Forumite
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    Grant repayments, enforcement notices etc - the local search covers a lot more than just planning permissions. I'd suggest if you don't know what questions it asks you can't make an informed decision not to get those answers and would be sensible to get the search done. It's not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things.
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