NLIS can provide you with a wide range of property searches from Local Authority Searches to Coal Mining Searches and Environmental Reports.

What are property searches?

Property searches contain information that relates to a specific property and are usually carried out as part of the conveyancing process. There are many different types of property searches but the most popular the Local Authority Search. This search details information like the properties history, planning applications, road adoptions and building regulations.You can order a Personal Local Authority Search or a Council produced Local Authority Search for both a residential and commercial property from NLIS. If you choose to order a Personal Local Search, these property searches are Regulated and often a preferred option for a large percentage of solicitors. Also, most lenders accept Regulated Personal Local Authority Searches because they have insurance attached to them which means they have no more risk than those from local authorities.

Other types of property searches avaliable on NLIS include Environmental Reports. There are a variety of different types of Environmental Reports to suit any residential and commercial property or land. An Environmental Report contains a professional assessment of a property or piece of land in relation to the nearby environmental factors and will state whether there needs to be any further action relating to any issues that were identified. An Environmental Report also gives details of historic land use, flooding information, contaminated land, radon gas, mining, ground stability and much more within a given radius of a property or piece of land which could adversely affect it. Whether you are purchasing or selling a residential, commercial, agricultural property or purchasing land for development, there is a suitable Environmental Report for you from NLIS.

You can also order property searches that detail mining activities which may affect the property in question. Types of mining searches include a Coal Mining Search and when ordered through NLIS and you can choose between a Coal Mining report produced by the Coal Authority or a Personal Coal Mining search produced by David Bellis Consulting Surveyors. NLIS also offers property searches that details Limestone Mining, Metalliferous Mining and China/Ball Clay Mining.

Another very popular property search is a Drainage and Water Search which answers 23 standard questions about the water and sewerage services as well as providing a map of the underground pipes surrounding the property. A Drainage and Water Search can be produced for both Residential and Commercial properties including land and it is recommended that a Drainage and Water Search is carried out on every property that’s going through the Conveyancing process.

Click here to order property searches from NLIS

NLIS can provide you with many different types of Mining Reports that are all equally as vital when purchasing a property in certain areas of England and Wales. NLIS offers Coal Mining Reports, Limestone Mining Reports, Metalliferous Mining Reports as well as China/Ball Clay Mining Reports.

Coal Mining Reports

NLIS can provide you with Coal Mining Reports produced by both The Coal Authority and David Bellis Consulting Surveyors. Coal Mining Reports are considered vital for anyone buying property in any coal mining area in Britain. If you order a Coal Mining Report from NLIS produced by The Coal Authority you will receive a report that has accurate, property-specific information and has a fast return time as well as being cost-effective. If your prefer a Mining Report produced by David Bellis then choose the Personal Coal Mining Report option. These Mining Reports contain information concerning past and current coal mining including the number of seams worked within an area surrounding the property that could affect the stability of the property, the likelihood of any future workings, If the property is situated within 200m of a currently working open cast coal mining site and much more.

Metalliferous Mining Reports

Metalliferous Mining Reports are essential if your purchasing a property in many areas of Cornwall and West Devon because during the nineteenth century both of these areas formed one of the most important mining districts in the world. Even though mining activity has now ceased, it has left many problems related to subsidence and soil contamination and this is why it is so important to have Metalliferous Mining Reports carried out on properties in Cornwall and West Devon.

Kaolin (China Clay) & Ball Clay Mining Reports

Kaolin also know as China Clay is a commercial clay and the value is based on the mineral’s whiteness and its fine, controllable particle size. Kaolin can be found in different parts of the UK and this is why it is so important to have a Kaolin Mining Report carried out on a property in a mining area. Ball Clay is a grained, highly plastic sedimentary clay which fire to a light or near white colour. They are used mainly in the manufacture of ceramic white ware and are valued for their key properties of plasticity, unfired strength and their light fired colour. The UK is a leading world producer and exporter of high quality ball clays and production peaked at over a million tonnes in the year 2000. Ball clay production is confined to the South West of England in the Bovey and Petrockstowe basins in Devon and the Wareham basin in Dorset which makes Ball Clay Mining Reports essential in these areas. Kaolin and Ball Clay Mining Reports are designed to reveal information that would not be available through examination of a properties deeds and are produced from the material accessible to the mining report provider who will endeavour to give as accurate information as possible.

Limestone Mining Reports

Limestone Mining Reports are designed to show you if a property might be affected by Limestone Mining activity. Limestone Mining Reports should be considered for properties in the West Midlands where Limestone mining was common until the 1930s but since then, mining activities have ceased however potential subsidence could still occur. NLIS offer Limestone Mining Reports which will either alert a buyers of a potential risk or give a buyer peace of mind when purchasing a property in a Limestone mining area.

Click here to order any of the above Mining Reports from NLIS.

It is recommend that a Drainage and Water Search is carried out on every property that’s going through the Conveyancing process. A Drainage and Water Search can be produced for both Residential and Commercial properties including land.

NLIS can provide you with both a Personal Drainage and Water Search and Drainage and Water Search produced by the water company. The advantage of a Personal Drainage and Water Search by NLIS over a waer company search is its backed by an individual £2m Search Warranty including run-off cover.

A Drainage and Water Search is such an essential part of the conveyancing process because it provides deal breaking information regarding the water and sewerage services for a specific property, protecting buyers from an unnecessary risk. There are still thousands of properties in UK which are not connected to sewers or mains water. They may use soak away, culverts, rivers or streams to disperse surface water and septic tanks, cesspool for sewage, wells or boreholes for the supply of water.

A Drainage and Water Search consists of 23 standard questions including;

1. Is the property connected to a public sewer or is it served by a cesspit that I will be responsible for?

2. Where are the sewers and who is responsible for them?

3.Will any plans to extend the property be affected by the route of a public water main or sewer?

4.Has the property been affected by sewer flooding in the past?

5. Does the property have a ‘Building Over Agreement’ for an extension that is built over a public sewer or manhole? If not, what are the implications?

6. Does the property have low water pressure and could this affect the performance of a power shower or garden hose?

7. Will the water company install a water meter at the property after I move in?

A Drainage and Water Search also consists of water and sewerage maps to visually show you where pipes and man holes are in relation to a property.

If you would like to order a Drainage and Water Search from NLIS please click here