The Reports

Whitefield Legal Services specialise in the provision of Local Authority searches on all types of property, from standard residential to complex commercial property and development sites, and have a dedicated team offering a nationwide personal local authority search service.

The report contains results which are fully compliant with the current CON 29 style format used by the Local Council. For ease of reference, reports are presented in an easily understood "question and answer" format. We have invested in developing this format as a result of valued feedback from both the solicitors and estate agents.

* The search usually takes 3-5 working days, subject to council availability.

Compliant with the Environmental Protection Act 1990

Environmental Certificate given

We also provide a professional risk assessment

Available for residential and commercial properties

We will provide a comprehensive and easy to read report that provides information in the four key areas, namely:

Every Residential Report now includes an Environmental Certificate, which indicates the likelihood of the property being described as contaminated, as defined by Section 78(a) 2 of Part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The report highlights matters that may affect the value or use of the property such as:

Our environmental reports also come with a professional risk assessment from the UK's leading firm of Chartered Environmental Surveyors, Wilbourn Associates.

What does the report contain?

The report, in full colour and jargon-free, is easily understood by someone unfamiliar with technical environmental terminology. The various sections will give responses to standard environmental enquires applicable to land within 250m and 500m of the property and provide further details of the response to enquiries and sets out the location of any sites identified on an Ordnance Survey plan.

Over £250 million is spent on repairs to private drainage alone in the UK every year. It is vital that you get the right information for your clients. Whitefield Legal Services works closely with the water companies of England and Wales to ensure the conveyance of a property is as trouble-free as possible.

We'll look into private sewers and waterways, something which potential buyers are sometimes unaware of given that they think all services are maintained at public expense. Quite simply, we make sure your clients are home and dry. Not left high and dry.

• Working closely with water companies for accurate reporting
• Public and private sewers with detailed maps
• Check for private drain location in respect of future development
• Fulfills residential and commercial conveyancing needs

Plansearch is the UK's best-selling planning report, covering planning applications within a wide radius of the property and revealing information which could have a major impact on the enjoyment of a home. New enhancements include: variable search radii, enhanced application data and comprehensive data on land use designations.

All too often a beautiful home is purchased, with a beautiful garden, located in beautiful, idyllic surroundings only to be ruined by a factory or supermarket built in front to block the view. All it takes is a little effort on our part to eradicate these problems, whilst reducing the effort on your part to concentrate on other important matters.

Whitefield Legal Services will supply reports detailing all Planning Applications and Land Use Policy relating to the property and surrounding areas including the extent of any flood-risk areas. What's more this information can be on your desk within 48 hours. A Plan Search will help your clients see their dream home as it should be, not how it might be.

• Detailed report outlining future developments such as supermarkets, nightclubs and motorways within 500 metres of property
• Report available within 48 hours at a nominal cost
• Includes detailed maps highlighting the relevant areas
• Enables the buyer to make an informed decision

Options available:

Undertake a thorough flood risk assessment with flood data provided on flood risks from rivers, seas and groundwater from three main sources: the Environment Agency, Risk Management Solutions and the British Geological Survey.

Flood Data available:

Environment Agency Data – Areas Benefiting from Flood Defences, Detailed River Network, Extreme Flooding from Rivers and Sea without Defences (Zone 2), Flood Defences, Flooding from Rivers and Sea without Defences (Zone 3), Flood Water Storage Areas, Historical Flood Events, National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA), River Quality Sampling Points and Source Protection Zones.

Risk Management Solutions Data – Flood Hazard 75, 100 and 1,000 Year Return. o British Geological Survey Data – Geological Indicators of Flooding and Groundwater Flooding Susceptibility. o Landmark's own Historical Flood Liabilities data set sourced from the analysis of 1:10,000 and 1:10,560 scale Ordnance Survey historical

This report will provide information on past and current underground coal mining activity with details of any recorded old coal mineshafts and licences for future mining. Ultimately, this report will help you determine whether a property has been subject to a coal mining related subsidence damage notice or claim since 1984.

The report will also refer to any current opencast coal mining operations and whether the property was built over a worked-out opencast site.

Why perform a Coal Mining Search?

More essential in coal mining areas, this search will identify past or current activity which can have an affect on surface property including subsidence.

What if there is an affect to the property?

Under the 1991 Coal Mining Subsidence Act, owners of property damaged by coal mining may be entitled to remedies including repair or depreciation compensation payments.

* This search usually takes 24 hours.

The history of Chancel Repair searches dates back prior to 1189 and is linked with the old right of the church to collect tithes. Although tithe liability has ceased and private individuals have acquired much of the land previously owned by the church, the liability for repairs to the parish church can remain attached to the land.

What does the report contain?

A Chancel Repair search will reveal whether a certain property is liable to contribute towards repairs at the local parish church.

Who does it affect?

It is not uncommon to find such liabilities affecting ordinary dwellings on housing estates, although it is more likely to affect rural properties rather than urban ones.

The absence of any formal 'notice' relating to the liability on any of the normal conveyancing documents means it will not be revealed by the standard conveyancing searches. As the liability for payment could be substantial, it is something that the buyer needs to be made aware of.

We can conduct a Chancel Repair search on your behalf and this will identify whether liability exists and specify the apportionment between the plots of land subject to it.

* We can obtain a certificate within 24 hours and report with 2-4 working days, if required.

A commons registration search is usually made for land that:

(a) has never been built on or

(b) which at one time may have belonged to a Lord of the Manor, a town or Village green.

Searches should also be carried out on small vacant urban parcels of land as these could be subject to common rights.

* This search usually takes 2-4 working days.

On October 13th 2003 new laws were implemented which meant that all new leases granted for terms over seven years or existing leases sold or assigned with seven years to run must now be registered with Land Registry.

Part of the lease application requires a Land Registry compliant Lease Plan to be produced and submitted.

A Lease Plan is a scale drawing of land and buildings described in your Lease. It also depicts areas that are shared in common with others and any Rights Of Way that are granted.

A Plan that illustrates the location of the property is also required to register your Lease with the Land Registry.

Our Lease Plans include everything required by the Land Registry to ensure they are compliant.