What are auction property searches?
Property searches are enquiries made to official bodies and databases that reveal information about a property that is not apparent from the title register. The three standard searches in a residential sale are:
- Local Authority Search (LLC1 and CON29) — planning history, planning obligations, road adoption status, tree preservation orders, conservation area status, and other local land charges
- Drainage Search (CON29DW) — whether the property is connected to public sewers and water mains, and whether any public sewer runs within the property boundary
- Environmental Search — flood risk, ground stability, contaminated land, radon, energy infrastructure in proximity
Additional searches may be required depending on the property location: chancel repair search, coal mining search, tin mining (Cornwall), brine subsidence (Cheshire), or flood risk detail search.
What "no fee" or "free search" packs typically include
When an auction house advertises a "no sale no fee" search pack or "free searches included", they typically mean one of the following:
- Search indemnity insurance only — no actual searches have been carried out. Instead, an insurance policy is provided that covers the buyer if a search would have revealed something adverse. This is not the same as having up-to-date searches.
- Personal (desktop) searches only — the LLC1 and CON29 results are obtained from a third-party database rather than directly from the local authority. These are faster and cheaper but are not official local authority searches and some lenders will not accept them.
- A subset of the standard searches — for example, a local authority search but no drainage or environmental search.
Search indemnity insurance covers you if a search would have revealed something adverse. It does not tell you what the searches would have revealed. You are bidding blind on the local authority, drainage, and environmental position — and relying on an insurer to compensate you if something turns out to be wrong. For most buyers and all mortgage lenders, actual searches are required.
What Landmark and other providers offer
Landmark Information Group is one of the UK's major property search and data providers. Their "no sale no fee" search products are commonly offered in auction packs. These typically provide a Landmark Environmental and flood search, sometimes combined with a CON29DW drainage search, obtained from their database. They do not include the local authority (LLC1/CON29) search, which must be obtained separately or replaced by indemnity insurance.
Always read the covering letter in the search pack carefully — it will state exactly what has been obtained and what, if anything, has been replaced by insurance.
What you still need to check even with searches included
Even a full set of up-to-date searches does not cover everything a buyer needs to know before bidding at auction. Searches reveal what official records say — they do not reveal what is in the legal pack itself:
- Special conditions adding buyer costs or shortening the completion period
- Title defects, restrictive covenants, or possessory title
- Existing tenancies and lease terms
- Structural issues referenced in the pack documents
- Missing documents referenced but not provided
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Analyse your legal pack free →Should I commission my own searches?
For most buyers, yes — particularly if the pack contains only search indemnity rather than actual searches. Official local authority searches, drainage searches, and environmental searches each cost £30–£150 and can be obtained in 1–10 working days depending on the local authority. The cost is small relative to the purchase price and the potential consequences of missing a planning issue or contamination problem.
If your mortgage lender requires specific searches (most lenders specify requirements in the UK Finance Mortgage Lenders' Handbook), commission them before bidding regardless of what the auction pack contains.
Frequently asked questions
Are search indemnity policies accepted by mortgage lenders?
Some lenders accept search indemnity for residential purchases in certain circumstances; others require official searches. Check the UK Finance Mortgage Lenders' Handbook for your specific lender's requirements before relying on search indemnity.
How long do auction property searches take?
Official local authority searches vary significantly by council — from same-day to 10+ working days. Environmental and drainage searches are typically 24–48 hours. Order early and factor turnaround time into your pre-auction timeline.
What happens if a search reveals a problem after I've bought at auction?
If the problem was covered by search indemnity, you can make an insurance claim. If you had actual searches and did not read them carefully before bidding, you are unlikely to have any recourse — at auction, contracts exchange on the hammer falling regardless of subsequent discoveries.
Read the full legal pack, not just the searches
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