In today’s conveyancing world, it sometimes feels like we are drowning in information. The rise of digital platforms, the expansion of open data, and the pace of automation mean solicitors are being handed more material than ever before.

Yet the question has to be asked: is all of this information really helping, or are we just creating data dumps that obscure rather than illuminate?

Due diligence has always been the cornerstone of a sound property transaction. When a solicitor orders a search, they are not just ticking a box. They are protecting their client, safeguarding the lender, and ensuring that hidden issues are uncovered before it is too late.

Proper due diligence is about relevance, accuracy, and clarity. It is about providing insight, not noise.

The trouble is that some parts of the market have slipped into a different habit. The rush for speed, scale, and automation can lead to reports that look impressive in size but deliver little in substance.

A solicitor who receives a hundred-page document crammed with poorly formatted extracts is not being helped. They are being asked to play detective, piecing together the useful from the unnecessary. That is not due diligence. That is a data dump.

This is where integrity comes in. The integrity of a property search is not only in the completeness of the information gathered but also in how it is presented and explained.

A report that highlights the relevant issues, points out local quirks, and frames the findings in a way that is usable is one that truly supports the solicitor and their client. Without this, the risk of mistakes, misunderstandings, or delays grows.

IPSA members have been clear about this for years. Independent Personal Search Agents do more than collect information. They refine it. They interpret it in the context of the local area.

Many of them have worked in this field for decades, often within the same councils and communities. They know how drainage systems in a particular district behave after heavy rain. They know which planning conditions tend to trip up new buyers.

They know the difference between a simple extract and a meaningful report.
Integrity in searching is also about confidence. For a solicitor, time is everything. Having a report that is clear and to the point means they can concentrate on their client’s case rather than sorting through irrelevant pages.

For the buyer, confidence is everything too. They want to feel that the report is not just a bundle of paperwork but a trusted guide to the home they are about to purchase.

And for lenders, nothing matters more than knowing that the report stands up to scrutiny if ever it is called into question.

As the property sector continues to digitise, the temptation will always be to hand over more and more data, faster and faster. Yet this only underlines the need to protect the principle of integrity in searches.

Data without due diligence is a risk. Data with care, judgement, and clarity is a safeguard. That difference is where IPSA members bring real value.

On Wednesday 3rd September at 1pm, IPSA Kind of Magic will look at this issue in more depth. Hosted by Gareth Wax, joined by Hamish McLay and also Jackie Dyson, member of the IPSA board. it will be a chance to reflect on what due diligence really means in 2025 and how IPSA members continue to set the standard for integrity in property searches.

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For content enquiries: hamish@ipsa-online.org.uk
For podcast/media info: gareth@mphats.com