What Happens After Searches When Buying a House

What Happens After Searches Are Complete When Buying a House

When you are buying a house, the legal side of the process can often feel complex and opaque. One key stage in the conveyancing journey is the property search phase, which involves your solicitor ordering and reviewing legal and environmental reports from the local authority and other official bodies. These searches are vital because they uncover any risks or restrictions attached to the property, helping you make an informed decision before proceeding with the purchase.

Once the searches are returned and reviewed, many buyers understandably want to know what happens next. While this stage represents a significant milestone in the transaction, there are still several steps to complete before you can exchange contracts and move into your new home. This guide explains what to expect after searches are complete, who is involved, and how to keep things moving forward.

Why Searches Matter in the Buying Process

Before diving into what comes next, it helps to understand why searches are required. Property searches are designed to highlight issues that may not be obvious during a viewing or survey. These include whether the road is publicly maintained, whether planning permission has been granted for nearby developments, or whether the property sits within a flood risk area.

Your solicitor will typically carry out three main searches: the local authority search, the environmental search, and the water and drainage search. Depending on the location or type of property, further specialist searches may also be recommended. These might include mining reports, chancel repair liability or radon gas exposure.

The results of these searches help to identify potential problems that could affect your enjoyment of the property or its resale value. They also ensure your mortgage lender is not taking on unforeseen risk. If the searches reveal anything concerning, your solicitor will raise further enquiries to clarify the situation before advising you to proceed.

Reviewing the Search Results

Once all the searches have been completed and returned, your solicitor will examine the documents in detail. They will assess whether the results raise any red flags and whether they need further clarification from the seller’s solicitor or relevant authorities.

Common concerns that may require follow up include planning breaches, lack of building regulations approval, unadopted roads or potential environmental hazards. Your solicitor will send a summary of the key findings to you, often accompanied by their recommendations. If everything is satisfactory, they will confirm that the legal side of the property is clear and that you can move forward in the process.

If there are issues that require further investigation or negotiation, this can add time to the transaction. In some cases, the buyer may request that the seller resolves the issue or offers a price reduction to account for the risk. Alternatively, indemnity insurance may be offered to protect against future legal claims related to the identified issue.

Raising Final Enquiries and Receiving the Contract Pack

With the searches complete and reviewed, your solicitor will move on to raising final enquiries with the seller’s legal representative. These are typically follow up questions about the property’s title, rights of way, covenants, boundaries or planning history. The aim is to ensure that there are no unresolved legal issues that could affect your ownership or enjoyment of the property.

At the same time, you will receive a draft contract pack containing the contract of sale, the seller’s property information forms and a fittings and contents form. These documents outline the legal terms of the transaction, disclose known defects and confirm what items will be included in the sale.

You will need to review these forms carefully and flag any concerns with your solicitor. Once any remaining issues are resolved and the seller has responded to final enquiries, the contract can be finalised and prepared for exchange.

Arranging the Mortgage and Valuation

If you are using a mortgage to fund the purchase, your lender will need to conduct a valuation of the property to confirm that it represents suitable security for the loan. In most cases, this valuation is organised shortly after your mortgage application, but it can sometimes occur after searches are complete.

If the valuation report is positive and your lender is satisfied with the legal and financial elements of the transaction, they will issue a formal mortgage offer. Your solicitor will review the mortgage offer and report back to you, explaining any conditions that apply and ensuring that the terms match your expectations.

At this stage, your solicitor will also confirm that your deposit is in place and that funds are available for the agreed completion date. If you are receiving help from family or using a gifted deposit, your solicitor may need to carry out further checks to meet anti money laundering regulations.

Signing the Contract and Agreeing a Completion Date

Once the legal checks are complete, your solicitor will invite you to sign the final contract. This is usually done a few days or weeks before exchange, depending on how quickly all parties are ready. You should not sign the contract until you are fully satisfied with the property and your financial arrangements are in place.

Around this time, you and the seller will agree a completion date, which is the day that ownership of the property transfers and you receive the keys. This date must work for all parties involved in the chain, so flexibility and clear communication are essential.

Your solicitor will prepare a completion statement outlining the exact amount of money required to complete the purchase, including your deposit, legal fees and any stamp duty due. You will need to transfer this money to your solicitor’s client account in time for exchange.

Exchanging Contracts and Preparing for Completion

Exchange of contracts is the formal stage at which both parties become legally bound to complete the sale. Once contracts are exchanged, neither party can withdraw without facing financial penalties. Your solicitor will exchange contracts with the seller’s solicitor by phone, and confirm the agreed completion date.

After exchange, your solicitor will apply to your lender for the mortgage funds and carry out final checks such as Land Registry searches and bankruptcy checks. You will also need to arrange insurance for the property, as you become legally responsible for it from the point of exchange.

Completion usually takes place a few days to a week after exchange, although in some cases it can happen on the same day. On completion day, your solicitor transfers the purchase funds to the seller’s solicitor, who then confirms receipt and releases the keys via the estate agent.