On the surface, it looks straightforward. The questions are standard, the replies are meant to be clear, and with digital feeds and software automation, there’s a growing belief that the process can be faster and easier without much human involvement.
Yet anyone in conveyancing knows it is not that simple. Information may be provided, but it is the interpretation, the context, and the links between answers that matter. This is where independent personal search agents stand apart.
Take road proposals. On paper, they may look routine. Yet a search agent who knows the area can explain whether a plan has been stalled for years, has resurfaced in a new form, or is tied to a major housing scheme that could transform the neighbourhood. That local knowledge is not written into the form; it comes from experience.
The same is true for planning histories. A refusal, an enforcement notice, or a consent may all technically answer the question, yet what do they mean for the property being bought? Has the issue already been resolved? Does it affect a neighbour instead? Could it signal a risk for the buyer? Without refinement, the raw data often raises more questions than it answers.
This is one of today’s growing challenges. The volume of material in property transactions is increasing, and far from simplifying the process, it often creates more work for solicitors. Queries are rising, not falling, and in some cases old legacy records are easier to interpret than modern data feeds that flood the system with too much at once. Solicitors are left overloaded, while clients still expect quick answers.
That is why detail still matters. An experienced IPSA member knows when something does not add up, when clarification is needed, or when a single line on a form points to something far bigger. They do not just deliver a search; they refine it into something solicitors and clients can trust.
Because local agents know who to speak to at the council, a phone call or two often resolves issues quickly. This ability to refine searches saves immeasurable time for solicitors.
Two developments within councils are also adding to the workload. HM Land Registry is gradually taking over the Land Charges section from local authority searches, splitting the sources of information. At the same time, many councils are being merged into unitary authorities. Together, these changes can make it harder to know the right contacts and the right process.
For IPSA clients, those hurdles are absorbed. Independent agents deal with the complications, leaving solicitors free from time-wasting and unnecessary delays.
This week’s IPSA Kind of Magic is about why going beyond the tick-box of the CON29R makes such a difference. We will be talking about the human judgement, local knowledge, and care that independent agents bring to the table – the very things that make searches meaningful, not just mechanical.
We are delighted to be joined by Bharti Bhuva and Sharon Whitney of Whitefield Property Searches, both long-standing IPSA members with deep experience. Between them, they have seen the move from paper records to digitisation and know the pitfalls of relying too heavily on automation.
Hosted by Gareth Wax and joined by Hamish McLay, the session will share real-world examples of how search agents add value every day. It will show why detail is not an old-fashioned concern but the foundation of conveyancing today.
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