Environmental risks play a crucial role in property transactions, and as conveyancers and solicitors, conducting thorough environmental searches is key to safeguarding your clients’ interests. 

Our parent company Landmark has long been the trusted provider of comprehensive environmental search reports. Now, with their enhanced residential product portfolio, we cover all environmental risks included in every Landmark residential report—allowing you to choose the report best suited to you, from basic identification to full expert analysis.

In addition to providing a more flexible and thorough assessment, we’re excited to announce two major improvements: the inclusion of climate change modules in the Landmark’s EnviroSearch and RiskView reports, plus an innovative approach to coal risk assessment. These advancements ensure that you’re equipped to handle today’s environmental challenges more effectively than ever.

The key environmental risks every conveyancer should consider:

• Contaminated Land
• Flood
• Coal Mining
• Climate Change
• Planning
• Ground Stability
• Radon
• Energy & Infrastructure
• Planning Constraints

These risks can significantly impact property value, insurability and enjoyment of living in, what might be, your dream home. Landmark’s enhanced portfolio provides reports tailored to different levels of risk assessment, giving conveyancers the flexibility to choose the depth of analysis that best fits their needs.

Introducing the ‘coal revolution’: the new way of searching for coal risk

One of the most significant improvements in the new product line-up is the reimagined approach to coal risk assessments. With Landmark’s coal revolution, you can expect faster, more accurate and more comprehensive coal risk assessments. The symbiosis between alert and full assessments in the reports, combined with the added security of an equivalent to a No Search Required Certificate with £1 million indemnity, sets a new industry standard for coal mining risk assessments.

Climate Change: now included in EnviroSearch and RiskView

Landmark’s enhanced residential product portfolio: A closer look

Landmark’s enhanced suite of products is designed to meet the varied needs of conveyancers, from basic checks to detailed assessments. The three key products in this portfolio are:

• Homecheck Residential: This report provides an initial assessment across all key risks, identifying potential issues that may require further investigation. It offers an overview that helps you determine if more in-depth analysis is necessary and whether a supplementary report is needed.
• EnviroSearch Residential: This report offers a more detailed assessment, including the newly added climate change module. It provides a breakdown of risks and a full evaluation of each environmental peril, perfect for when more certainty is needed.
• RiskView Residential: The most comprehensive product, RiskView Residential, includes full data assessments and expert analysis through Landmark’s environmental consultants. With the addition of the climate change module, this product delivers the highest level of accuracy and foresight, ensuring that all risks are meticulously evaluated.

Using Flood Risk as an example: the same site, different experience

To demonstrate how these products differ in practice, let’s look at a typical scenario involving flood risk assessment:

Scenario: A Homebuyer has had their offer accepted and is eagerly waiting to arrange their move in date. Before this is possible, their conveyancer is reviewing their Environmental Search to see if there are any concerns to flag to the Homebuyer.

• Homecheck Residential: The report identifies that the property is in a flood-prone area, prompting further investigation. The assessment highlights potential risks but does not provide detailed specifics.

Report outcome – Identified

• EnviroSearch Residential: This report offers a full flood assessment, breaking down the risk by specific perils such as River, Coastal, Surface Water, and Groundwater. In this case, a high risk for surface water flooding is identified, and recommendations are provided, including whether the site is insurable under standard terms. This product also includes the climate change module, offering insights into how future environmental changes might impact the property from flooding.

Report Outcome – Further Action

• RiskView Residential: The RiskView report identifies the high risk of surface water flooding and refers the case to Landmark’s environmental consultants for expert evaluation. The consultants determine that the high-risk area is limited to an adjacent road, allowing them to downgrade the overall flood risk and provide a “Passed” outcome. Additionally, the climate change module helps evaluate long-term impacts, offering an even more comprehensive risk profile for the property and confirms the risk doesn’t worsen over time.

Report Outcome – Passed

Clarity & confidence: key benefits

These enhanced residential products offer the most comprehensive environmental reports on the market, presented in a format that’s easy to use and understand. Key benefits include:

• Comprehensive Coverage: Every report covers all key environmental risks, from coal mining to planning and everything in between, ensuring thorough due diligence.
• Clear Risk Assessment: The user-friendly format makes it easy for conveyancers and clients to understand the environmental risks and how they have been assessed.
• Enhanced Usability: The reports retain a fixed structure to keep them familiar from one case to the next. The intuitive layout and navigation throughout make locating information straightforward.
• Assessment Options: You can choose the level of detail required, with options ranging from basic checks to full expert analysis, including new features like the new innovative coal alert.

Comprehensive due diligence, made easy

Landmark’s new portfolio empowers you to provide your clients with the highest level of due diligence, helping them make informed decisions and avoid unpleasant surprises down the line. By addressing all key environmental risks in one report, you can confidently manage the complexities of environmental due diligence with ease.

Your next step

To learn more about how Landmark’s enhanced residential products and streamline your conveyancing process, download and review the Product Comparison Matrix and Toolkit today. These resources provide a side-by-side comparison of the different levels of risk assessment available, helping you make the best choice for your clients.

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The original version of this article was originally published by Landmark Information Group. For more information from the full range of Environmental Insights remastered products available from OneSearch, click here.

Environmental insights are changing!

Our parent company Landmark Information Group are thrilled to share the launch of a remastered range of residential environmental search reports specifically designed to help you feel confident with search results, spend less time interpreting data and more time delivering excellent customer service.

Environmental Insights Remastered

Landmark’s remastered reports will still contain unmatched data and renowned in-house expert support but now with greater clarity, helping you navigate the most complex transactions, seamlessly.

Remastered content and design, led by conveyancers 

To support these latest updates, Landmark engaged with over 200 residential conveyancers, from high street to multi practice firms; the invaluable feedback they provided together with Landmark’s 30 years of experience in property and land data, has allowed Landmark to remaster and shape environmental reports that properly satisfy the need for readability, comprehension and expediency. 

Comprehensive due diligence, made easy

• New and upgraded risk modules to ensure we provide not only the most comprehensive reports in the market but the simplest way to convey environmental risk.
• Visually enhanced front pages – providing greater transparency for conveyancers to save valuable time.
• New executive summary pages for both conveyancers and homebuyers to understand quickly and easily which risks are relevant for that location and what to do next.
• Homebuyer guidance – to ensure your clients understand the report context. 

Remastered Delivery 

From the research Landmark carried out, PDF delivery is still extremely popular, but there was an awareness that digital formats will be the future moving forward. To support and prepare conveyancers with this transition Landmark’s remastered reports will be digitally enabled, giving choice on how you want to receive environmental insight information in the future.

To view the remastered catalogue, click the related products links below.

In July 2024, OneSearch’s parent company, Landmark Information Group, interviewed 100 residential property solicitors and conveyancers in England, Scotland, and Wales.

Together, we asked about artificial intelligence, digital transformation, legislative changes, upfront information, and much more.

The responses shaped our new Market Research Report – ‘Residential Conveyancing: Looking ahead to 2025’ – which covers their challenges, concerns, priorities, and predictions for the coming year.

Find out what they said and download the report.

Today, our OneSearch office transformed into a spooky wonderland as we celebrated Halloween! It was a day filled with costumes, treats, and friendly competition.

We saw some truly creative costumes, from (many) witches, an escaped convict, Harry Potter… and a possessed nun! A big congratulations to Danielle Daly for winning the best costume contest with their extremely pink unicorn ensemble 🦄

We also had a thrilling Halloween quiz, putting our spooky knowledge to the test. With questions such as: ‘What is the name of the Addams Family’s butler?’ and ‘What is the name of the hotel in Stephen King’s “The Shining”?’ How would you have got on?

Of course, no Halloween celebration is complete without treats! Have a look at some of the photos below.

Our parent company Landmark’s latest Residential Property Trends Report for Q3 2024 is now available. This thorough analysis explores the property transaction landscape in England, Scotland and Wales, offering valuable insights into key market dynamics, including listings, SSTC/SSTM, searches ordered and completions.

A mixed picture of cautious optimism 

The residential market in Q3 2024 reveals a mixed landscape, showing a 6% increase in listings compared to Q3 2019 in England and Wales. However, this positive trend is overshadowed with completion volumes 42% lower in Q3 ‘24 vs Q3 ‘19, indicating continued challenges of progressing demand within the market. 

Ongoing external economic and political turbulence is still causing affordability constraints and buyer caution, as home-movers pause ahead of the Budget in the hope of more favourable interest rates. Many buyers are taking a wait-and-see approach, but there could be signs of potential recovery in Q4, especially if political and economic factors continue to stabilise. 

Ongoing inefficiencies in home buying and selling also hinder the process, with Scotland – which has a more streamlined transaction process – showing healthier completions than England and Wales. While both markets saw a 6% increase in listings, Scotland experienced only a 13% drop in completion rates since 2019, compared to a 42% drop in England and Wales. 

Other key findings from Q3 ‘24 include: 

• In England, Wales and Scotland, listing volumes were up 6% in Q3 ‘24 vs Q3 ‘19.  
• In England, SSTC volumes in Q3 ‘24 were down 37% when compared to Q3 ‘19 volumes. In Scotland, SSTM levels were down 23% in Q3 ‘24 vs Q3 ‘19. 
• In England and Wales, completions have fallen 42% vs Q3 2019. In Scotland, completions were down just 13% vs Q3 2019. 

Download the report to discover the latest trends impacting the residential sector in Q3 2024. 

The fifth and final day of 2024’s National Customer Service Week is here, and we wrap up the week with our second ‘Meet the Team’ profile, and what better department to focus on than our very own OneSearch Customer Service team. With Friday’s #NCSW theme being ‘customer service recognition day’, we shine a spotlight on June, one of the key team members in a department renown for service excellence, problem-solving and industry understanding.

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June Stewart is a remarkable person.

Officially.

Described by colleagues as “very relaxed and calm” and as someone “always available to help both staff and clients with all customer service queries”, she recently received – for the second time in five months – a commendation through Landmark’s Remarkable People ‘Success‘ programme.

That relaxed and helpful nature shone through when we recently sat down with June to chat about all things customer service. And to find out more about the person who once walked 96 miles in four days along the West Highland Way, and who used to share her home with two dogs, two guinea pigs, a cat, a rabbit, a cockatiel, and six tarantulas.

But what her colleagues may not realise is just how much of an impression June has made on some of her clients.

Will you marry me?

“I’d one client who proposed to me. Told me he wanted to marry me”, June shared with us, before adding with a chuckle, “he also said his girlfriend might be a bit upset!” It’s a good example of the light-hearted interactions June and her colleagues in customer service have with clients. “That’s the sort of wee bit of banter you have with clients because you’ve helped them and made their day.”

It’s one of the reasons why, working in customer service, June never gets the Monday morning blues.

Like a family

June has been in customer service for over 40 years. From managing a newsagents and managing a restaurant to working in a British Gas call centre, she’s always loved interacting with the general public.

“It’s in my nature. I just want to help. I want to give people the service that I would expect, because it’s frustrating when you get someone that doesn’t want to help you.”

Before joining OneSearch, June was a technical adviser for a heating product. After 14 years, it was a tough job to leave. “We were all like a wee family. We knew everything about everybody. Everybody knew everybody’s name.”

So when June was unfortunately made redundant, she was concerned she would never find a bond like that again.

She needn’t have worried.

A smile says it all

“I was totally surprised. From the minute I walked in the door I felt part of the team. And there was nobody that you couldn’t turn to, whether it be work or personal. Everybody’s great and most of the managers have such long service. It’s unbelievable. 20, 25, 30+ years’ service. So when you’ve got something like that, you know there’s something good.”

June tells us that the people OneSearch employs all seem to have similar personality traits. What is it they have in common? How can you recognise a OneSearch person?

Their smile.

“They’re always going to smile and say hello”, June says. “Walking from one end of the office to the other, you can have about five different conversations just going there. And then the same again coming back. Everybody’s just so happy to talk.”

Everyone is approachable. That includes the managers. They’ll drop what they’re doing, if you need help.

Managers such as June’s own manager, Carol Dodd, and her deputy, Sharon Greer. “I wouldn’t be as knowledgeable if it weren’t for these two ladies mentoring me and sharing their knowledge,” June told us. “Although Carol does need to appreciate the harmony of Sharon and myself when we are having a little singsong in the office!”

It’s not just the managers.

“I’ve got directors making me cups of tea and buying me breakfast. I mean, where on earth and what other company would you ever get directors speaking to you, let alone bringing you cups of tea?!”

And the million-dollar question: do they make a good cup of tea?

“Definitely. Carol Gildea [OneSearch’s Director of Operations] makes the best cup of tea ever. She knows I like my tea so milky, and she knows exactly how to do it perfectly.”

Making someone’s day

Does having such a close-knit, happy team make a difference to the service OneSearch provides its customers?

“Definitely. If you feel good, that’s going to come across in your calls to clients.”

What also helps, says June, is that OneSearch’s customer service team talks to its clients on a personal level.

“For some of them, we know how many dogs they’ve got, what their family are up to, when their son’s getting christened. There are so many things that we incorporate in our calls with clients that makes it more personal for them.”

Making that personal connection is something that June feels gets overlooked too often in the world of customer service – whether you’re answering phone calls or speaking with members of the public face to face.

“You might be their only point of contact for that day. Saying hello to them, or just having that wee bit of eye contact and making them feel you’re actually paying attention to them, could make such a difference to their day.”

And June believes that people who don’t give their full attention to a customer are missing out. “Just by making that wee bit of effort you actually enjoy what you’re doing.”

Not that enjoying her job is ever an issue for June. As someone who’s naturally curious and inquisitive, her job satisfaction at OneSearch is sky high.

The satisfaction of sleuthing solutions

June joined OneSearch at the outset of the pandemic, shortly before the first national lockdown. There was a lot of information she needed to learn.

“You can’t get things wrong in this job. It’s vital you get things correct, and I’m quite a stickler for that. I hate being wrong and I hate not knowing an answer.”

As much as she hates not knowing the answer to something, she’s in her element finding out and helping resolve a query for a client. What does she put that down to?

“I’m just a nosy beggar. I like getting to the bottom of things.”

Fascinated by Egyptian history and a keen follower of shows such as How It’s Made, June has always been interested in how things work and why. But there’s one mystery she’s not been able to get to the bottom of:

How an aeroplane flies.

“That just baffles me. I’ve tried so many times to get to the bottom of aviation, but I just don’t understand how this massive thing that weighs so much with all these hundreds of people can still stay up there.”

How to succeed in customer service

It’s National Customer Service Week when we speak. With June’s extensive experience, who better to ask for her thoughts on how to make a success of a career in customer service?

What advice would she give to someone just starting out?

1. Be honest

“Don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t know the answer. You need to be honest and say, look, I’m sorry I don’t know the answer. I will go and find out for you.”

2. Take ownership

“Always be prepared to take ownership of something. Never leave a job half done. Don’t just assume that someone else is going to pick it up. Take ownership of your own queries and the clients you’re dealing with.”

3. Be positive

“Always try to look at the glass as being half full, never half empty. With customer service, you do need that positivity. If you’re not positive in yourself or portray positivity, how are you going to pass that on to someone else?”

4. Don’t be afraid to admit your mistakes

“No one is 100% perfect.”

5. Make your customers feel valued

“Thank them and let them know that you appreciate what they’ve done to help you. Also, find out their name and use it throughout the call. It makes them feel more valued.”

6. Pay attention to how they sound

“Listen to them and how they sound on the phone. Are they stressed? Do they sound as if they’re having a bad day? Is there anything you can do? Because they’re going to remember that you’ve made them feel better.”

7. Treat them as an individual, not just someone that’s phoning

“The next time they phone, if you remember speaking to them, if you remember their name, it’s going to make them feel so much better.”

Finding joy at work

Perhaps, though, the most valuable piece of wisdom that June shares is something with a wider application than customer service.

“Just try to make the best of your day. You might not have an option as to whether you’re there or not, but make the best of it. The day will always come to an end eventually. What you do and how you make yourself feel in between that time makes such a difference.”

And remember, if you do have a problem, there’s always someone like June who will be there for you.

“If you want to have a chat or a wee blether, pick up the phone. I’m here. I’m happy to talk to anybody, at any time. No bother. If you’ve got a problem and I can’t fix it, I’ll find someone that can.”

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To learn more about starting your journey with OneSearch, visit our registration page.

To learn more about National Customer Service Week, visit the Institute of Customer Service website.