What searches are done when buying a rental property?
Conveyancing searches are enquiries the buyer's solicitor makes of councils, water companies and other bodies to find issues not shown on the title, such as planning history, road schemes, drainage and flood risk. On a portfolio sale each property needs its own searches, so they are often the slowest part of the timetable.
Read more in our guide: Portfolio sale timescales
Common searches
| Search | What it reveals |
|---|---|
| Local authority (LLC1 and CON29) | Planning, building control, roads, enforcement, licences |
| Drainage and water (CON29DW) | Connection to mains water and sewers, public sewers nearby |
| Environmental | Contaminated land, flood risk, ground stability |
| Mining | Coal and other mining in affected areas |
| Chancel repair | Liability to repair a parish church in some areas |
| Optional | HS2, energy infrastructure, commons registration |
What searches are for
The title register shows who owns the property and some rights over it, but not the council's records or the state of the land. Searches fill the gaps. Lenders insist on them, and cash buyers usually order them too. They are dated, and many lenders want them to be no more than six months old at completion.
What matters for rental property
For let property, the local search can show HMO or selective licensing schemes, enforcement notices, Article 4 directions and planning breaches. A conversion without planning or building regulation sign-off will often surface here, which is why indemnity insurance is so common.
How long they take
Most searches come back within days, but local authority searches vary widely between councils, from a day to several weeks. A portfolio spread across several council areas moves at the pace of the slowest one. Ordering searches as soon as an offer is accepted, or using a seller's pack prepared in advance, keeps the timetable moving.
What sellers can do
- Gather planning permissions, building regulation certificates and licences before you sell.
- Tell your solicitor about any works done without consent, so solutions can be lined up.
- Consider ordering searches yourself to sit in the data room.
Official Sources and Further Reading
General information for landlords in England, checked against official sources in October 2026. It is not tax, legal or financial advice: speak to a qualified accountant or solicitor about your own circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conveyancing searches are enquiries the buyer's solicitor makes of councils, water companies and other bodies to find issues not shown on the title, such as planning history, road schemes, drainage and flood risk. On a portfolio sale each property needs its own searches, so they are often the slowest part of the timetable.
Usually the buyer. A seller may pay to have them ready in advance, particularly for a portfolio.
A cash buyer can choose to proceed without them, often relying on search indemnity insurance, but most investors still order them.
The buyer's solicitor raises enquiries, and the issue is resolved, insured or reflected in the price.
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