Searches on a new build cover the same core areas as any home purchase: local authority, drainage and water, and environmental, but they do a slightly different job. Because your home may not be built yet, your solicitor also checks that planning permission is in order, that the roads and sewers will be taken over by the council and water company, that no developer costs get passed to you, and that your new home comes with a proper warranty.
If you’re new to the process, learn more from a property searches and conveyancing expert, who explains what searches are and why mortgage lenders insist on them. This blog covers what changes when the home you’re buying is brand new.
How are searches different on a new build?
The searches themselves are the same used on any purchase. What changes is what your solicitor is looking for. On a new build, the five key differences are:
- The checks cover the whole development, not just your house. Your home may not be built yet, so the searches look at the plot and the estate around it.
- Planning permission is checked as live, not historic. Your solicitor confirms the developer has valid permission and is actually building what was approved.
- The roads and sewers usually aren’t the council’s yet. Agreements must be in place so the developer (not you!) is responsible for finishing and maintaining them.
- There may be ongoing charges. Many new estates carry a yearly estate management charge, even on freehold homes.
- The land itself needs verifying. New homes are often built on former industrial land, so any clean-up work must have been properly certified and your home needs a 10-year warranty for your lender.
Why do searches happen before the home exists?
Many new builds are bought “off-plan”, you commit to the purchase before the house is finished. So instead of checking a building, the searches check the plot and the development around it. Your solicitor confirms the developer has everything legally in place to build, and sell the home they’ve promised you.
Who looks after the roads and sewers on a new estate?
At first, the developer does. The roads, street lighting and sewers on a new estate are built privately and only later “adopted” (taken over) by the council and the water company. Your solicitor checks that formal agreements are in place committing the developer to finish everything to the required standard (known as Section 38 and Section 104 agreements), backed by financial guarantees. Without them, if the developer went bust, residents could be left paying to finish or maintain the roads and drains themselves.
What are estate management charges?
On many new developments, the green spaces, play areas and any private roads are looked after by a management company. This is paid for through a yearly charge on every home, even freehold ones. Your solicitor will confirm whether a charge applies, how much it is, and how it can go up, so there are no surprises after you move in.
Why does the environmental search matter more on a new build?
New homes are often built on land that used to be something else: a factory site, farmland or other previously developed ground. The environmental search shows whether the land needed cleaning up and whether that work was properly certified. It also flags flood risk.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if the searches reveal a problem?
A search result flagging something isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker. Often the fix is straightforward: the developer provides the missing agreement, satisfies a planning condition, or puts an insurance policy in place. Your solicitor will explain what the issue means for you, raise it with the developer’s solicitors, and make sure it’s properly resolved before you’re committed to the purchase.
Who pays for the searches?
You do, as the buyer. They’re part of your conveyancing costs, typically a few hundred pounds. Your solicitor will set out exactly what’s included in your quote, so there are no surprises.
Buying a new build?
At PLS Solicitors, new build conveyancing is something our team handles every day. We know the questions to ask, the agreements to insist on, and how developers work, so you can enjoy the exciting part of moving, while we take care of the rest.
Get a free conveyancing quote today, and move into your new home with complete confidence.
