Key takeaways
- Most Kent purchases need three searches: local authority, drainage and water, and environmental.
- The local authority search is done by the district council for the town, or Medway Council in Medway.
- In Kent, searches typically cost £220 to £440 as a pack, passed on at cost.
- Timing depends on the council, so instruct a solicitor as soon as your offer is accepted.
- Coal mining, chancel and highways checks are added where an area needs them.
What are conveyancing searches?
Conveyancing searches are checks your solicitor orders from the council, the water company and specialist data providers when you buy a home. They show things a viewing never will: planning history, whether the road is adopted, flood risk, nearby contaminated land and where the drains run.
Most buyers in Kent get three core searches, usually bought together as one pack: the local authority search, the drainage and water search and the environmental search. Your mortgage lender will almost always insist on them.
The local authority search
The local authority search has two parts. The LLC1 checks the Local Land Charges Register, and the CON29 is a set of standard questions answered by the council. In England, many councils’ land charges registers have moved to HM Land Registry’s national service, so the two parts may come from different places.
| What it can reveal | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Planning permissions, refusals and enforcement notices | An extension or conversion without consent can be costly to put right |
| Building regulations approvals | Missing sign-off may need indemnity insurance or a retrospective application |
| Listed building and conservation area status | Limits on windows, extensions and tree work |
| Tree preservation orders | You may need consent to cut back or remove trees |
| Whether the road is adopted | On a private road you may share repair costs |
| Road, rail and other schemes nearby | New routes or works close to the home |
| Smoke control zones and notices | Rules on fuel and outstanding council notices |
Searches are done by the council for the town’s district, which is why each of our Kent town guides names the council that handles them.
The drainage and water search
The drainage and water search (CON29DW) comes from the water company. It confirms whether the home is connected to mains water and the public sewer, whether there is a water meter, and whether a public sewer runs within the boundary. A sewer under the garden can restrict where you build an extension.
| Area | Sewers | Drinking water |
|---|---|---|
| Most of Kent, including Thanet, Canterbury, Swale and Medway | Southern Water | Southern Water or South East Water, depending on the town |
| Folkestone, Hythe and Dover | Southern Water | Affinity Water |
| Dartford and the north of Sevenoaks district | Thames Water | Thames Water in Dartford; South East Water in Sevenoaks town |
Each town guide lists its own water and sewer companies.
The environmental and flood search
The environmental search uses mapped data to flag contaminated land from past uses, landfill sites, flood risk from rivers, the sea and surface water, and ground stability. If something is flagged, your solicitor may suggest a closer look.
In Kent, the points that come up most are:
- Coastal and tidal flooding in low-lying parts of Thanet, Herne Bay, Whitstable, Deal and the Romney Marsh.
- River flooding near the Medway, the Stour, the Darent and the Len.
- Chalk ground, where old chalk workings or natural hollows can affect stability.
- Former industrial land, such as old brickfields, paper mills and dockyard sites in Swale and Medway.
You can check a postcode’s long-term flood risk yourself on GOV.UK.
Other searches your solicitor may suggest
- Coal mining search: parts of east Kent around Dover, Deal and Aylesham sit on the old Kent coalfield. Your solicitor checks whether the address is in the Coal Authority’s reporting area.
- Chancel repair check: some older parishes, common in historic towns such as Canterbury, can still carry a liability to help repair the church. It is usually dealt with by a low-cost insurance policy.
- Highways search: useful on private or unadopted roads, which are common in parts of Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.
- Planning search: shows recent planning applications nearby, such as a new estate next door.
How much searches cost and how long they take
In Kent, a standard pack of local authority, drainage and environmental searches typically costs £220 to £440. The fixed-fee quotes on this site currently show about £360. Searches are disbursements, so they are passed on at cost and shown separately in your quote.
How long they take depends mainly on the council. Some return local searches within a few days, others take several weeks at busy times. The best way to save time is to instruct a solicitor as soon as your offer is accepted, so the searches go in on day one.
Which council handles searches in your town?
| Town | Council for the local search |
|---|---|
| Canterbury, Herne Bay, Whitstable | Canterbury City Council |
| Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Birchington, Westgate-on-Sea | Thanet District Council |
| Dover, Deal | Dover District Council |
| Folkestone, Hythe | Folkestone & Hythe District Council |
| Ashford | Ashford Borough Council |
| Faversham, Sittingbourne | Swale Borough Council |
| Maidstone | Maidstone Borough Council |
| Tonbridge | Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council |
| Tunbridge Wells | Tunbridge Wells Borough Council |
| Sevenoaks | Sevenoaks District Council |
| Dartford | Dartford Borough Council |
| Gravesend | Gravesham Borough Council |
| Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham | Medway Council |
What if a search finds a problem?
Your solicitor reports the results to you in writing and explains anything that matters. Most findings are minor. Where something needs action, the usual options are to ask the seller to put it right, renegotiate the price, take out indemnity insurance, or, before exchange, decide not to go ahead.
FAQs
Conveyancing searches: FAQs
Do I need searches if I am a cash buyer?
You do not legally have to, but it is strongly advised. Without searches you could buy a home with unapproved building work, a private road or a flood risk you did not know about. Mortgage lenders always require them.
How long do searches take in Kent?
It depends on the council and the time of year. Some Kent councils return local searches within a few days, others take several weeks when busy. Drainage and environmental searches usually come back within a few days.
How much do conveyancing searches cost?
A standard pack of local authority, drainage and environmental searches typically costs £220 to £440 in Kent. Extra checks, such as a coal mining search, cost more.
Who pays for the searches?
The buyer. Your solicitor orders and pays for them on your behalf, and they appear as disbursements in your quote and final bill.
How long are searches valid?
There is no fixed expiry, but most mortgage lenders want searches to be less than about six months old when you complete. If your purchase is delayed, your solicitor may need to update them.
Related
Related guides
Official sources: Search local land charges (GOV.UK) · Check long-term flood risk (GOV.UK) · The Coal Authority
Ready when you are
Moving home in Kent? Get your quote today.
Free, fixed fees and no obligation.