Conveyancing - searches necessary (again)?

[ginghamstarfish]

Was buying a house about 7 months ago. Seller pulled out. We had to pay solicitor including for the searches. Now looking at a house 2 doors away from that one, same 7-house development, same builder, same build date etc. I think we can get away with not having the searches done again? Will save us about £400 saying we already paid for them 7 months ago! Cannot think what could have changed in that time. Small rural area, we have again checked flood risk, planning applications etc ourselves. Solicitor is noncommital, says up to us (mortgage would need them but we don't need a mortgage as we have already sold and renting).Would you go ahead or have them done again?

Personally I'd do them again. In the context of house buying, the searches are a drop in the ocean money-wise. I'd kick myself if something came up later which we would have got forewarning if searches had been done.

Tbh I'd probably leave them as I really can't imagine much coming up that is different from before (they all just show what's going on within an area so will be pretty identical).

But it depends on your appetite for risk, the area's likelihood to change and maybe the value of the house? Eg if your house is worth a million, what's £400 in the scheme of things... but if it's a £100k flat, then well, I'd probably hedge my bets and not bother.

If you want you could pick & mix? The one I'd care about most is the planning one - but you can actually do all that online yourself via the planning portals on the council website.

I'm pretty sure I'd just leave it - loads of people take absolutely ages to complete so it's probably not that different from the equivalent of that happening for you!

Thanks yes am inclined to leave it, having already paid for it so recently.

If you are taking out a mortgage aren't the searches compulsory?
We were told that.

However surveys are optional I believe.

I probably wouldn't bother. But I would check the planning portal for the local authority to see what new planning applications had been put in since the previous search was done.