Your search report

Download a sample report

Please download our sample report (1.2mb) for your reference. Terms and conditions are also available.

CON29DW has changed

What’s different about the new CON29DW?

More information is now included in CON29DW Drainage and Water searches. A working group consisting of the Consumer Council for Water, Communities and Local Government and the Law Society have compiled these additions and amendments. As a result, searches will now consist of 25 questions. The main purpose is to increase the amount of information available to homebuyers, and improve consumer protection.

The first two sections of the new search report will provide information including who prepared the report, which records were searched, and who is liable for negligence. The main body of the report will provide a mixture of existing and enhanced information. The new elements cover the following:

The risk of overloaded public sewers flooding properties

This new section of the search will inform homebuyers whether a property is at risk from internal flooding. Where there is a risk, a bespoke report will be included, detailing proposed actions to reduce or remove the risk.

Risk of low water pressure or flow

Each water company is responsible for providing water at a pressure that will allow it to reach the top storey of every building in their area (subject to certain recognised exceptions). The enhanced CON29DW Drainage and Water search will reveal whether a property is at risk of having problems receiving the correct pressure. For properties with a risk of low water pressure the search includes a bespoke report with details of any proposed actions to reduce or remove the risk.

Location of the nearest public sewage treatment works

This section of the search reveals the distance and direction to the nearest sewage treatment works from the property. This information is important to homebuyers because sewage works emit odorous gases (including methane, hydrogen sulphide, sulphur and ammonia), and close proximity can also cause problems with flies and other insects.

The basis of charging information and location of water meters

This section of the enhanced CON29DW Drainage and Water search confirms whether a property is charged on a measured or unmeasured basis, and whether this will remain the same following the change of occupancy. The search will also show the location of the property’s water meter if it has one.

Water quality analysis

The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations of England and Wales impose a range of standards that ensure water is both safe to drink and aesthetically acceptable. These regulations also require that drinking water doesn’t contain any element, organism or substance at a concentration that could be detrimental to public health. The revised CON29DW Drainage and Water Search will confirm whether the water quality in a certain area complies in 100% of all tests or at a lower level of compliance with these regulations. Homebuyers will therefore be informed of the water quality in the area of their chosen property.

Water mains adoption agreements

The majority of mains are still laid by water companies, however the Water Act 2003 introduced the option of self-lay, where developers could lay water pipes before handing them over to water companies. As a result, adoption agreements were introduced for water supply pipes with a similar adoption process to sewers. This part of the search is important to homebuyers of new properties so they can check whether a water company controls the mains serving the property.

The enhanced CON29DW Drainage and Water search

The enhanced search must include answers to all of the following questions (new questions are highlighted in bold):

Back to top