The Local Authority Search in the UK

It is supposed to protect you from any unpleasant surprises by checking up on any plans that may affect the home you're buying, for example, that you're not going to have an all night delivery super-depot built next door etc.

It also checks on any possible property developments which may affect you, as well as changes to land use or public rights of way.

The Search should also warn you about any extra planning restrictions that might be in line eg your home being put into a new conservation area.

How long does it take?

The Cost

The a local authority search will cost you between £100 and £200 – up to £250 in London – depending on the authority involved.

Sometimes the Local Authority may not hold all the required information, such as coal or tin mining records or where the sewers are.

Watch out for

It may be worth you checking directly with the planning authority of the local council just to make sure that everything has been picked up.

Get a map and have a look at the surrounding area yourself. Look for railway lines, sewage works etc.

The search will be out of date relatively soon. If the housebuying process takes a few months there may have been new planning proposals made in the interim. If so you should consider doing a new search.

You may also want an additional environmental search carried out particularly in the light of the new nationwide flooding problems.

Checking the area yourself

The internet has made available a wealth of information on all the different factors affecting each area of the UK.

A lot of this is marketing information that previously was only available to commercial companies planning their sales campaigns etc.

However now you can get a picture of the area you're thinking about living in. For example, details on schools, health, crime, social conditions, services, facilities and much more.

(If you want to us to send you a guide to the various ways you can do this click here).

These can be seen by the number of trendy type shops that are setting up and doing well, the number of renovations going on (look for skips) and the flashy new company cars owned by the young salary slaves who've decided to the area is up and coming.

Once they arrive it tends to be a self fulfilling prophecy - but not always. As Martin Amis made clear, in his classic, Money, "slums bite back".

Read enough? Just want a quote? To get your best mortgage quote quickly and easily we can put you in contact with a recommended mortgage adviser. It's free, completely confidential and there's no obligation at all. Simply fill out the form below

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Important note about your credit rating

Many websites don't make it clear that filling in their mortgage enquiry form means you might be credit checked.

This can put you at risk.

UK Mortgage lenders may assume an enquiry you have aleady made to another lender means you were turned down - and not that you are in fact carefully shopping around and rejecting the bad deals.

The best way around this significant problem is to ask an independent mortgage adviser to make anonymous enquiries for you.

Without risking your credit score an adviser can find you the best available mortgage deal. They will also know how likely you are to be accepted by the lender if you decide to make a formal application.

If you would like a recommended adviser to check out the best deals for you, anonymously, simply fill in the quick form below.

" Hmm..." You might think; "Won't I be hounded by a salesman hungry for my business? "

This is the most common question we hear from our users.

The answer is no you won't.

Firstly your enquiry is only passed to ONE person on a carefully vetted list of independent advisers.

Secondly, these mortgage advisers are professionals. Even when the market is slow they are busy people. There many people who need to move homes, or get a remortgage and are looking for advice all the time. Regardless of the state of the property market, life goes on.

So the advisers don't have time to hassle people. It just doesn't work like that. No one is gong to be forced into taking out a mortgage unless they really need one.

The advisers are very used to talking with people, perhaps like yourself, who are only "dipping their toes" into the water.

Many people just want an initial quick chat and if they feel comfortable will ask the advisor to contact them again later - often in several weeks or months. As a professional, the adviser will simply diarise this and call back at the appropriate time. There is no obligation at all.

(In the unlikely event that you ever feel at all "hassled" by someone on our list please let us know immediately. We have never heard of this. But if it happened we would definitely want to know).

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Home Buying Guide
Click for Full Contents

Guide to Conveyancing
Click for Full Contents

About "the Search"

What it does

How long does it take?

The cost

Watch out for

Checking the area yourself

What it does

How long does it take?

The Cost

Watch out for

Checking the area yourself

Read On / Mortgage Guide

Read On / Related Topics

Important note about your credit rating

Browse over 200 Free Mortgage Tips

Site Help

Home Buying Guide Click for Full Contents

Guide to ConveyancingClick for Full Contents

About "the Search" What it does How long does it take? The cost Watch out for

Checking the area yourself

What it does

How long does it take?

The Cost

Watch out for

Checking the area yourself

Read On / Mortgage Guide

Read On / Related Topics

Important note about your credit rating

Browse over 200 Free Mortgage Tips

Site Help

Home Buying Guide
Click for Full Contents

Guide to Conveyancing
Click for Full Contents

About "the Search"

What it does

How long does it take?

The cost

Watch out for