Every conveyancer knows Local Authority Searches are essential, but they aren’t all created equal.

Variations in council turnaround times, report formats, and pricing can introduce unwelcome friction into your workflow. What if you could rely on a consistent, clear, fixed-price report backed by substantial PI cover, regardless of the property’s location? It’s time to look closely at the advantages Regulated Local Authority Searches offer and how they directly address these common challenges.

Meeting the needs for consistency, clarity and reliability is the core purpose of OneSearch Prime, our flagship Regulated Local Authority Search. As the product underpinning our longstanding success, OneSearch Prime is specifically designed to overcome the inconsistencies you face.

It provides comprehensive insights presented in a clear, uniform format at a fixed price no matter the Local Authority, bringing predictability to your disbursements. Furthermore, it’s backed by £10 Million PI cover for your peace of mind and is accepted by the vast majority of UK lenders.

Myth-Busting: The True Reliability of Regulated Searches

Let’s address a persistent myth head-on: the idea that Regulated (Personal) local searches are somehow less reliable or comprehensive than their official council counterparts is an outdated view, which fails to recognise the rigorous standards of modern, data-centric providers.

High-quality regulated searches, like OneSearch Prime, access and interpret the same core Local Authority data sources. The key difference lies in the meticulous quality control processes, enhanced data presentation for clarity, and the backing of significant professional indemnity insurance – like our £10m PI cover. Our confidence in the dependability of OneSearch Prime is built on over 30 years of specialist data handling experience, ensuring you receive accurate reports that meet lender requirements.

7 Reasons Why

Here are seven reasons to choose OneSearch Prime Regulated Local Authority Searches: 

• Budget Certainty & Transparency: Enjoy a fixed price for OneSearch Prime reports nationwide. This simplifies your client quotes and eliminates cost surprises, regardless of the local authority involved.
• Unmatched Peace of Mind: Work confidently knowing every OneSearch Prime report is backed by a robust £10 million Professional Indemnity insurance policy.
• Faster Report Analysis: Save valuable time with our clear, consistent, easy-to-read layout, standardised across all local authorities and featuring a helpful upfront summary page.
• Efficient & Accurate Turnarounds: We strive for prompt report delivery to keep your transactions moving forward. Our commitment to accuracy means that while speed is important, we always perform essential checks when needed, ensuring you receive dependable and trustworthy results.
• Deep Data Expertise: Leverage over 30+ years of specialist experience in UK property data collection and interpretation for accurate, comprehensive search results you can trust.
• Streamlined Ordering Process: Improve your workflow efficiency by ordering OneSearch Prime and other essential searches through a single, user-friendly, fully supported online platform.
• Direct Access to Support: Get quick answers when you need them. Our highly trained, UK-based customer service team is available directly (8:30AM to 5:00 PM) without frustrating automated systems or long hold times.

Stop navigating the friction of variable search costs, inconsistent reports, and reliability concerns that can slow down your conveyancing process. OneSearch Prime provides a clear path forward: a regulated Local Authority Search meticulously designed for today’s demands. It delivers nationwide fixed pricing for budget certainty, dependable accuracy built on 30+ years of data expertise, user-friendly reports for faster analysis, robust £10m PI insurance for peace of mind, and dedicated UK-based support when you need it. It’s the smarter choice for efficient, confident conveyancing.

Take the next step towards smarter searches. Register with OneSearch to start ordering today.

Your indispensable partner in ensuring smooth and successful property transactions

OneSearch Prime

 

As an essential component of every property deal, OneSearch Prime provides comprehensive insights into a property’s potential issues, allowing you to make informed decisions and avoid costly delays. Whether you’re handling residential or commercial transactions, OneSearch Prime is your go-to resource for accurate and reliable information.

For product cards, sample reports, or to include OneSearch Prime in your next order, click below.

Add Prime to your order

We are delighted with the response to OneSearch AML since we unveiled the product last summer; we hope you’ve had the opportunity to explore yourselves into the solutions it can provide your firm when it comes to managing risk and protecting your firm.

We understand the world of Anti Money Laundering can seem overwhelming at times: new regulations, confusing jargon and acronyms… and that’s not forgetting keeping on top of ever-evolving fraud strategies. On top of all that, you may often find yourself explaining this to your clients as well.

To help you conquer compliance, and master your firms AML checks in 2025, we’re offering a downloadable guide packed with practical advice and best practices for conveyancers.

In our guide, you’ll learn about:

• Understanding your KYC/AML Obligations in 2025 
• A comparison of Manual vs Digital AML Checks 
• A detailed explanation about the Safe Harbour Standard
• A guide to the most common AML phrases and what they actually mean 
  
  And also:
  
• A full breakdown on the features and benefits of OneSearch AML, the most comprehensive anti-money laundering solution on the market. 

The state of play

The UK is once again counting down to a looming Stamp Duty deadline, evoking memories of a post-lockdown 2022 Britain.

The market has been chock-a-block with activity from first time buyers for the past few months. Recent home mover activity figures are as high as 64% for the end of 2024 and again at the start of 2025, with buyers having one eye on cheaper mortgage deals, and another on the prospect of higher buying costs on the horizon.

However, the time it takes to complete isn’t improving; average turnaround times continue to creep up and up, meaning those taking their first daunting step onto the housing ladder may fall short of the deadline, especially if part of a larger chain of purchases.

This of course means talk of the dreaded F-word: Fall-throughs. Recent research suggests numbers are rising again in the UK, with an estimated 84,079 fall-throughs during the third quarter of 2024 – the highest quarterly total seen since they peaked in Q3 2022.

The solution

Within a few weeks, SDLT thresholds will revert to pre-relief levels, and many thousands will be faced with the reality of having to amend budgets, or worse, restart from square one, with one of the potential causes being the turnaround time for searches.

OneSearch Express offers the perfect solution, combining the speed of a no-search indemnity policy – created in partnership with Lloyd & White Community Broking Ltd – with the crucial insights of a comprehensive property data report, allowing conveyancers to transact typically within just 24 hours.

And this year OneSearch Express celebrates its tenth birthday, with around 25,000 orders having been placed since 2015.

Liz Jarvis, Managing Director at OneSearch, said: “We know all too well how frustrating it is when Local Authority searches drag on. This creates a huge backlog, especially when caseloads are already bursting at the seams, and it puts immense stress on clients.

“That’s why we designed OneSearch Express – to take some of that pressure off. It gets things moving quickly and efficiently, so homebuyers can settle into their new place sooner, and solicitors can get on with their next case.

“To be here ten years later, talking about how it is still a vital asset for conveyancers, is a fantastic achievement”

What is OneSearch Express?

OneSearch Express provides cover in place of the following searches, which can often cause hold-ups in the conveyancing process:

• A full Chancel Repair Liability search
• A Search of the Local Land Charges Register form LLC1
• A Search of CON29R and/or CON29O records
• A Search of Water and Drainage records on CON29DW
• A search of the Coal Authority’s records on form CON29M
• An environmental risk assessment (excludes Commercial Express)

This allows conveyancers to proceed quickly, even when time is of the essence.

John Margett, Client Relationship Manager at OneSearch, added: “OneSearch Express has been so well received over the past ten years, turning many potential fall-throughs into completions from our clients.

“The key that makes Express unique is our data, something that distinguishes us from other search companies. OneSearch are the only company to possess an extensive database of real-time Local Enquiries information, which we have been collecting over the course of 30-plus years.

“Every single piece of data is meticulously triple checked, and that’s exactly the same process for Express”

OneSearch Express is available for a selection of different sale types, including existing residential, commercial, new build, and more.

John continued: “We offer Express in instances where it makes the most sense, such as remortgages, where in many instances very little has changed since the first Local Search was carried out. House sales for new builds can be considered as well, as the typical exchange is required within 28 days.”

The speed of No-Search Insurance, the power of property data

OneSearch Express

For solicitors navigating complex caseloads and demanding clients, delays can be incredibly costly – not just in terms of time, but also in terms of stress and client satisfaction.  With a proven track record and a commitment to innovation, OneSearch Express offers a solution designed to alleviate pressure, reduce turnaround times, and ultimately, make the entire process smoother for everyone involved.

For product cards, sample reports, or to include OneSearch Express in your next order, click below.

Add Express to your order