Home buying made quick

10:18am Monday 4th December 2006

SOUTH Somerset District Council recently hosted an information session for surveyors, solicitors and estate agents that will help them make house buying quicker for everyone.

The five district councils in Somerset have joined together to provide an electronic search service that will dramatically reduce the time it takes for them to provide land search information when people buy and sell houses.

"House buying can be a difficult time and anything that can speed it up and make it easier and simpler for everyone is a step forward,"

explained Cllr Tim Carroll, leader of South Somerset District Council.

"Once again South Somerset and the local districts councils are working together for the benefit of our communities."

When someone buys or sells a property one of the processes they have to complete is a search from the records held by the local council. The speed with which this is done in Somerset is set to change dramatically, something that will benefit the public and businesses.

This new National Land Information Service connects councils and solicitors electronically and will enable South Somerset to ensure solicitors and prospective purchasers are fully up to date with the property they are interested in.

Debbie Osborne, a conveyancer at Porter Dodson solicitors' Yeovil office, said: "The electronic search system saves time on postage, saves paper, is quicker than searching though paper files and is generally more efficient.

"When home information packs are introduced next year sellers will want their solicitors to complete their packs as quickly as possible so the property can be marketed speedily.

"The electronic searches, together with our expertise and knowledge of the local property market will enable local solicitors to provide sellers with an excellent service."

Information on the new Home Information Pack that all sellers will have to have available from June 2007 will also be available.

Local authority searches investigate things like whether a property has any planning restrictions or notices on it, whether it is a listed building, is in a conservation area or has trees with preservation orders on them.

Last year South Somerset District Council carried out over 5,700 searches with electronic searches taking approximately three days.