Looking for a Faster Exchange? 10 Things You Should Know About Starting Local Searches at Instruction

If a sale takes months to progress, searches can become an unwelcome late hurdle. Buyers may spend weeks waiting for local authority results, then lose confidence when an unexpected issue appears. And when a transaction runs on, searches may need refreshing before the buyer’s solicitor or lender is comfortable relying on them.

That delay is one reason the timing of local searches is now part of the industry debate. Connells has called for searches to be mandated at the point a property is instructed for sale. Its trial data is promising, but it is not a new rule or a guarantee that every sale will move faster.

For independent agents, the practical question is: what can you put in place now, so sellers understand the option and files are less likely to stall later?

Why waiting can make a sale harder

In the usual process, a buyer’s solicitor often orders searches after a sale is agreed. Depending on the local authority and the search type, results can take weeks. That time is added to other steps, including mortgage arrangements, enquiries and coordinating the chain.

If a transaction takes longer than expected, a search may also be considered too old by a conveyancer or lender, and a refresh may be needed. There is no single statutory expiry date that applies to every type of search: requirements can vary, so the conveyancer should confirm what is acceptable for the transaction.

The result can be a frustrating pattern: everyone waits for searches, a problem emerges late, and the buyer has already invested time and money in the purchase.

What Connells is proposing, and what the figures mean

Connells has argued that local searches should begin when an estate agent takes the property instruction, rather than later in the conveyancing process. The idea is to identify relevant information earlier, giving sellers and buyers more time to understand any issues.

The proposal follows a trial involving Connells’ Welsh agency Peter Alan and the National Property Transaction Network. Connells reported that around 4,000 vendors were offered the route, with about half taking it up. Among participating transactions, the company reported a 43% lower fall-through rate and a 37% faster journey from instruction to exchange. Those are reported trial results, not a promise that an individual agency will achieve the same outcome, nor a 43-percentage-point reduction. It is industry-led evidence, not proof that a national policy change will produce identical results everywhere. You can read more in The Negotiator’s report on Connells’ proposal.

There is no mandate in force. But you do not need to wait for a rule change to discuss the option with sellers and their conveyancers.

10 things to know before starting searches at instruction

1. Agree who will pay before ordering anything

Searches have an upfront cost. In a typical purchase, it is the buyer who orders and pays for them, but starting searches before a buyer is found means someone must cover the initial bill.

Discuss the options with the seller and conveyancer: the seller might pay, the cost might be shared, or another arrangement might be available through a provider. Make sure the person paying understands what is being ordered, what it costs and whether any part may be refundable.

2. Be clear about what happens if the sale falls through

This is often the seller’s main concern: “What if I pay and the property doesn’t sell?” There is no universal answer. The arrangement could leave the seller carrying the cost, or a provider might take on some or all of that risk. Connells said it covered the cost and risk in its trial.

Explain the actual terms in writing before anyone commits. If the property is relisted or a new buyer comes along, ask the conveyancer or search provider whether the results can be reused and whether the buyer’s solicitor and lender will accept them.

3. Explain the benefit without promising a faster exchange

Early results can help buyers and their solicitors understand relevant information sooner. That may help a buyer make a more informed decision and allow questions to surface earlier, rather than close to exchange.

But searches are only one part of a transaction. They cannot guarantee that a mortgage will be approved, enquiries will be resolved quickly or a chain will hold together. Describe early searches as a way to reduce avoidable waiting and late surprises, not a shortcut to a fixed completion date.

4. Surface potential problems before they derail a chain

Local search results can reveal matters that may warrant further investigation, such as planning or enforcement notices, restrictions, or information about road schemes. Other searches can raise issues such as contaminated land. What is included depends on the search package and location.

A result does not automatically mean there is a problem with the property. It gives the conveyancer and client a chance to assess the details, seek advice and decide what to do while there is still time.

5. Don’t confuse early searches with rushing legal work

Starting a search early does not mean the buyer’s conveyancer should rush checks or that a seller’s conveyancer can skip proper work. The conveyancer still needs to review the results, check title, raise enquiries and advise their client.

Think of early searches as moving one task earlier in the timeline, not cutting corners elsewhere. The HM Land Registry guidance on local land charges also makes clear that local land charges searches are distinct from CON29 enquiries, which still need to be made to the relevant local authority.

6. Give a hesitant seller a straightforward explanation

Some sellers will be cautious about spending money before they have a buyer. Acknowledge that. Explain the possible benefit, the cost, who carries the risk if there is no sale, and what happens if the transaction changes.

You might say: “One option is to start the relevant searches now, so potential issues may come to light earlier. There’s an upfront cost, and the conveyancer can explain what happens to that cost if the sale doesn’t proceed. Would you like us to help you discuss it with them?”

That keeps the choice with the seller and avoids presenting the approach as compulsory.

7. Check whether the buyer’s solicitor has ordered searches already

If the buyer’s conveyancer has already started searches, avoid paying for a duplicate set without checking first. Ask the conveyancer what has been ordered, what can be shared and whether any seller-commissioned results would meet the buyer’s and lender’s requirements.

Acceptance is not automatic. The buyer’s conveyancer needs to decide whether the results are suitable for that purchase.

8. Treat leasehold properties as a wider information job

Early local searches can help with a leasehold sale, but they do not replace the leasehold information and management pack. The buyer’s conveyancer may still need details from the freeholder, managing agent or management company, and those responses can take time.

Set expectations with the seller early. Ask their conveyancer what information they need and when the relevant parties should be contacted. Starting searches is useful only if it forms part of a broader plan for the property.

9. Be honest about the limits and the upfront cost

Early searches add a cost before a buyer is committed. Results are a snapshot, and a conveyancer or lender may require an update or different search later. They may also prompt further enquiries rather than resolve them immediately.

The aim is not to eliminate risk. It is to find out what can be found earlier, make sure the right people review it, and give clients a clearer picture of the next steps.

10. Build a simple process around the decision

Decide how your team will raise the option at instruction, record the seller’s decision and confirm who is speaking to the conveyancer and search provider. Make it clear that legal advice and ordering decisions sit with the client and their conveyancer.

A short checklist can help: Was the option explained? Has the seller agreed to proceed? Who pays? What happens if the sale falls through? Who will track the results and share any relevant updates? That structure makes early searches a practical choice rather than another loose end in the file.

Earlier searches still need steady progression

Starting local searches sooner may help identify issues earlier, but it does not remove the need for regular communication, clear ownership and realistic expectations. Your team still needs to know what has been ordered, what has come back, who is dealing with any concern and what the next update should be.

If keeping every file moving is stretching your team, outsourced sales progression for estate agents can sit alongside your existing business and help keep transactions organised, whatever the search timing. We provide calm, proactive support during business hours, so your clients are kept informed and you can protect time for the rest of the agency.

This article relates to residential conveyancing in England and Wales and is general information, not legal advice. Search requirements and arrangements can vary; sellers and buyers should confirm the detail with their conveyancer.