News & insights

Happy Holidays!

We will be open for business throughout the Christmas and New Year period.

Product Withdrawals

In the last communication on our price increase we advised that we are making significant investments with our systems, well we’re pleased to announce that the work will start imminently. However, this does come with a downside and that is our decision to cease offering all reseller products within the One Stop Shop. In literal terms this means that we will only be offering the products that we produce and those are …

Local Authority Price Changes from April 1st

Like many suppliers a number of local authorities are changing the price of their CON29 and LLC1 searches from 1st April 2023 and we will be updating our website as and when the prices are announced. The new prices will automatically be applied to all searches ordered from 1st April 2023.

DX Will No Longer Be Available

As of May 1st 2023 Property Searches will no longer be using the services of DX (Document Exchange) and this method of contact will not be available. All customers who have recently used this method will have been contacted and their contact type changed to Email.

House Sales Fall Through in the Wake of Mortgage Market Instability

There has been a sharp increase in the number of property transactions failing at the last minute – as well as a significant rise in the associated costs when the worst happens – according to new data.

Property experts predict a year of falling house prices ahead – but by how much?

As a roller coaster year draws to a close – one that began with the housing market flying high and finished with soaring interest rates and slumping prices – many property professionals are holding their breath to find out what is in store over the next 12 months.

NOTIFICATION OF PRICE CHANGES

As I sit and reflect on what has been yet another busy and demanding year, I would like to start by thanking all our customers for their continued support and business.

Happy Holidays!

A round up of 2022: a year of two halves

What a year it has been. As 2022 draws to a close, we reflect on what has been yet another unprecedented 12 months for the housing market and for Thames Water Property Searches and our customers.

The jury is out on the impact of latest Stamp Duty Tax Cut

It has been an uncertain time for the property market in the wake of the government’s controversial mini budget in September. Higher mortgage rates, coupled with a cost of living crisis signal turbulent times ahead, with some experts predicting a house price crash could be on the cards.

Planning guidance update protects new homes from flooding

Changes to planning guidance announced last month, mean councils must ensure new property developments meet strict criteria in flood risk locations before they are given the green light

A third of property transactions fall through and completion times are on the rise

A new report has found that a third of property transactions fall through, with the average length of time it takes to buy a home also creeping up. The findings, part of home moving platform Smoove's inaugural Home Movers Report, show that within the last six months, the average time taken to complete a purchase was 153 days – the equivalent of more than five months. This compares to 124 days before the pandemic struck.

Climate change makes environmental searches more important than ever

As the UK grapples with hotter weather than ever before this summer, the climate crisis has been brought in to sharp focus. In July we saw the mercury rise to levels never seen before in the UK, with many experts suggesting we could be even deeper in to the climate emergency than previously predicted.

Will the cost of living crisis curb the post pandemic property boom?

While the latest House Price Index from the Land Registry shows the property market is still flying high above the rest of the economy, with inflation expected to hit an alarming 11 per cent by the end of the year, and concerns over the rising cost of living impacting consumer confidence, many experts are calling time on the property boom.

Post pandemic return to cities as house prices reach new high

While the pandemic triggered a desire in homeowners to move out of town in search of bigger gardens and more scenic locations, the easing of Covid-19 restrictions means many property purchasers have now decided it’s time to move back closer to the action.

What the Spring Statement means for the housing market

Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, delivered his Spring Statement to Parliament last month (March) in what has been described as a ‘mini-budget’. While there were few measures directly related to the property market, he did offer some concessions that should benefit many homeowners and renters.

Covid-19 two years on: the advent of a new working landscape for property professionals

As we approach the pandemic’s second anniversary it’s fair to say that the world is a different place to when Covid-19 struck back in March 2020. For the vast majority of property professionals, the virus has been a catalyst for change, heralding the widespread digitalisation of many of the industry’s working practices.

2022 property market forecast – still busy…but not quite so manic

As an unprecedented year draws to a close, with the highest annual volume of sales and purchases since 2007, conveyancers and other property professionals may be breathing a sigh of relief and looking forward to a well-earned rest.

Round up of an extraordinary year: search volumes soared but we pulled together to smash it on turnaround times

As 2021 draws to a close, we reflect on what has been another demanding year for Thames Water Property Searches and our customers. We have had to continue to be adaptable and resilient in order to carry out our duties.

Happy Holidays!

We will be open for business throughout the Christmas and New Year period.

Thames Water Property Searches are here to help you through a busy autumn.

As we head into the last quarter of the year - traditionally a busy period for conveyancing with buyers and sellers keen to move before Christmas – it's important to prioritise research into any potential issues affecting a property's true market value.

Changes to the Commercial Drainage and Water Enquiry

Whatever your commercial property transaction may be, don’t sign on the dotted line without carrying out an official Commercial Drainage and Water Enquiry first (rebranded as the CON29DW Commercial). One of the many searches carried out by Thames Water Property Searches, they are an essential component of the conveyancing process whether you’re purchasing a shop or an office block.

You can rely on our commercial searches for potential high street homes

New rules making it easier for commercial buildings to be converted into residential homes have come in to force this month.

Thames Water Property Searches help London leavers make sensible choices

Over the course of the last year the Covid pandemic has prompted an exodus from cities with many people looking to take full advantage of the working from home opportunity and move out to more rural areas.

Changes to Groundsure residential searches

Working closely with leading suppliers such as Groundsure, Thames Water Property Searches ensure that we not only sell the searches but fully understand the detail within them.

A proactive approach to cyber security pays off

Friday afternoon fraud – it’s when criminals target conveyancing firms, the busiest time of the week and – it’s on the increase, a recent cyber security review has found.

How Thames Water Property Searches can help you avoid failing on flood risk

When Storm Christoph hit the UK in January of this year, two months' worth of rain fell in just 36 hours. The impact was catastrophic, with 400 homes flooded and insurance industry losses from the storm reaching in the region of £120 million.

Government backed 95% mortgage scheme will keep the market buoyant and heralds even busier times ahead for property professionals.

In last month’s Budget, the Government announced a new 95% mortgage guarantee scheme that enables homebuyers to secure a mortgage with as little as a 5% deposit.

Make a choice. Choose CON29DW.

Why take a chance?

A service you can rely on ahead of stamp duty deadline

With the deadline for the stamp duty holiday looming ever larger on the horizon, already over stretched property professionals are coming under more pressure than ever before.

We don’t stop at search, we start with service

Thames Water Property Searches always start with service that is second to none.

Happy Holidays!

We will be open for business throughout the Christmas and New Year period.

Thames Water Property Searches Phone Number Change

With the current ongoing challenges, you may occasionally experience delays as we continue to process searches in these challenging times. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your ongoing patience during this time.

Changes to Landmark Commercial searches

We would like to inform our customers that from the 18th April 2020, Landmark Information Group have advised that they will be decommissioning two of their commercial reports, RiskView Commercial and Sitecheck Flood.

Thames Water Property Searches: Dedicated to training

My inbox is groaning with invitations to 'free' events.  And like you, I have given up several mornings/days attending talks which, although mildly informative, do not compensate for the avalanche of work awaiting me when I return to my desk.

Does Fracking Pose a Risk to Your Commercial Property Interests?

Hydraulic fracturing (also known as ‘fracking’) is nothing new in the UK; indeed, it has been used actively in North Sea oil and gas wells since the 1970s.  The more recent phenomenon and one that has garnered a great deal of negative press and controversy is the extraction of shale gas using fracking techniques, which could adversely impact surrounding land and properties.

The Effect of the Rising UK Flood Risk on Commercial Property

As a society, we tend to quickly forget past events such as weather-related disasters, rather than heed lessons for the future.  A timely reminder was the recent flooding in the North Yorkshire Dales in July 2019, during which torrential rain caused 100 homes and several businesses to be underwater.

The importance of embracing property searches for commercial leases

A commercial property lease is normally one of the biggest overheads a business has after wages. This is not taking into account the initial outlay for renovations often required to ensure the premises is fit to benefit the commercial activities of the leaseholder. However, many organisations instructing Solicitors to manage the legal aspects of securing a commercial lease decline to invest in basic property searches.

Events, sponsorship and training opportunities 2019

Our Thames Water Property Searches CPD events are extremely popular. Each year we invite industry leading speakers to present on a wide range of topics relating to the challenges and opportunities currently facing conveyancers. Experts in their field, our speakers provide in-depth knowledge, bags of enthusiasm and some great ideas that can be immediately implemented into your day-to-day activities.

Thames Water Property Searches Commercial Conveyancing CPD

According to reports, commercial property is expected to rebound once the uncertainty surrounding Brexit subsides.  A wealth of domestic and overseas investors are poised to advance their plans once a clear picture of the UK’s future is formed.

FCI's commercial environmental reports have changed

We are pleased to inform our customers that Future Climate Info have made changes to their commercial environmental reports. From the 8th May 2019, the FCI Commercial Standard and FCI Commercial Premium reports were replaced with two new reports: FCI Retail and FCI Commercial.

Commercial Conveyancing and Cyber Security: Beyond the Basics

For business leaders in the conveyancing sector, ‘Friday Afternoon Fraud’, whereby cyber criminals intercept emails between a conveyancer and client to steal funds intended for a property purchase, is now a widely understood and recognised risk to law firms and their clients.  Indeed, authorities and regulators have made great strides in providing detailed guidance on avoiding cyber fraud in property transactions.

Thames Water Property Searches Residential Conveyancing CPD

Thames Water Property Searches are delighted to announce a new conveyancing CPD event, focusing on the residential property market, its current status, recent legislation changes, cybersecurity risks and protective measures, and the possible effects of Brexit.

Bringing you the new and improved Groundsure Homebuyers report

Working closely with leading suppliers such as Groundsure, Thames Water Property Searches ensure that we not only sell the searches but fully understand the detail within them.