Why Do I Need A Drainage And Water Search When Buying My House?

There are a number of searches that need to be completed when buying a house. These are searches that will be completed on your behalf by our local conveyancers in Peterborough. One of these searches is the water and draining search. In this blog post we look at what is involved in the drainage and water search so you can see why it is so important to have when buying a house.

The drainage and water search is an investigation into your property. It looks at how the property is connected to the mains water and sewage. The search also includes an assessment into the public water pipes and sewers on your property. When you have the drainage and water search completed on your property you will find out the condition of the mains connection. You will also be informed of the location of any public sewers and water pipes. You will be made aware if these need maintenance and who owns them.

When our conveyancing lawyer completes your drainage and water search, they will check that foul water and surface water drains to a public sewer. If the drains are not connected to a public sewer, it means that as the homeowner, you will need to deal with water and drainage privately. If this is the case, the seller will need to provide evidence of how this is done. They will also need to give you breakdown of costs of upkeep and disposal. There may be a septic tank or cesspool for example. As the buyer, you need to consider if you are happy to maintain water and sewage systems like this.

Our conveyancing solicitors in Peterborough will also look at the public sewers that are within the boundaries of your property. If there are sewers, mains or drains within the boundary of the property, and the property has been built since July 2011, you will be responsible for maintaining them. In this case, it is recommended that you inspect the condition of these before inheriting the responsibility of maintaining them.

However, if the property was built before July 2011, the utility company may have rights to access the pipes. This means that you cannot build over the. This is because it could cause obstruction when repair or maintenance to the pipes is required. If there has been a public sewer, main or drainpipe built over within your property, your conveyancer will check that the adequate legal paperwork is in place for this.

These are all things that your drainage and water search will cover when buying a home. Our local conveyance will complete the search of your behalf. They will then go through the findings for you so you can make an informed decision about the property.

Looking to buy a house and need some friendly and experienced conveyancers that can talk you through the process? Speak to our local conveyancing experts in Peterborough now.