Official vs Personal Drainage and Water Searches

A CON29DW Drainage and Water Enquiry is a comprehensive review of the water and sewerage services affecting a property.

Some of the information contained within the report is useful for a prospective purchaser, but other information is of the kind which may impact on the use or value of a property after purchase.

The Water Industry Property Information Network, the trade association representing the 10 Water and Sewerage companies of England and Wales who provide Drainage and Water Searches, carried out some market research in 2009 where over 90% of conveyancers questioned said they would acquire a CON29DW from the Water Company if buying a property for themselves.

The same survey showed that what matters most to conveyancers is accuracy and speed. When it comes to accuracy, our searches are offered with full redress – an official Law Society recognised CON29DW Drainage and Water enquiry carries an explicit guarantee that if the core Water Company data is wrong, then we will work with you to resolve the problem.

This guarantee only applies to official CON29DW Enquiries, and not to personal searches.

When you purchase an official CON29DW, you can be sure there will be no disclaimers limiting your levels of protection. Our liability covers the source data as well as the search compilation, and our expert industry knowledge means we can interpret the source data without having to rely on guesswork.

When acting for your client, you should be clear what you are buying – a level of indemnity, or a Drainage and Water search from Wessex Searches with information which is guaranteed and underwritten by the Water Company.

Indemnity insurance (whether as a stand alone product or backing a personal drainage and water search) cannot always
resolve a problem.

If an official CON29DW shows an error, we will always endeavour to put the situation right, even if for example, that means connecting the property to mains drainage at our expense, or diverting a sewer to allow an extension to be built. We can arrange for works to be carried out, and ensure we keep you and your client informed of the
process throughout.

Indemnity insurance does not do the work for you. To ensure you and your clients receive the guarantees and protection you should expect, make sure you order your Drainage and Water Enquiries from Wessex Searches.

Top 10 Reasons to order an Official Drainage and Water Enquiry from Wessex Searches

1. Confirmation of connection status to the public water and sewerage systems
2. Details of who to contact should there be a problem with these
3. Provision of information regarding the property owner’s liability for maintenance of pipes and connections serving the property
4. Details of any public sewer or water main within the boundary of, or near to the property
5. Potential limitations on any future use or development of the property
6. Adoption status of the sewers serving the property
7. Details of any known risk of low water pressure
8. Details of any known risk of internal flooding from the sewers
9. Confirmation of how the property will be billed for water and sewerage services
10. Full redress against Wessex Searches in the event the search is wrong.