London council slammed as property searches slow to a crawl

A London council could be putting property transactions at risk by failing to deliver property search results.

That’s the warning from the leading body for property search agents, which is pleading with Hounslow Council to find a solution quickly.

The council is also being accused of anti-competitive practices by still processing searches for its own in-house building control team.

It is plainly evident search providers are being given the complete rough end of the deal and ultimately home movers are suffering.”

Lee Russell, Director at agency Davis Tate, told The Neg personal search providers are being forced to wait for 50-60 days by the council, which is blaming an IT problem.

Russell says: “It is plainly evident search providers are being given the complete rough end of the deal and ultimately home movers are suffering.

“Yet if you do an official search via the council, they get the results back in two to three days and seem to be able to get the info required from building control. How does that work!!”

Poor implementation

And Stephen Murray, Head of Local Authority Engagement at CoPSO (The Council of Property Search Organisations), says in an email to members: “London Borough of Hounslow Council, implemented a new IT system for building control in May. Due to poor implementation, they have been unable to provide members with building control information since May.

“We have additionally raised concerns that their own CON29 service has not been affected and as a consequence, this has resulted in an anti-competitive trading environment favouring their own commercial activities.”

Risk of transactions aborting

He says CoPSO has asked Hounslow to consider making their CON29 information available to search agents while the problem is being fixed.

“This should help alleviate the pressures currently being confronted and reduce the risk of transactions aborting.”

The Neg has approached Hounslow Council for comment.