Solicitor searches?

[MrBet]

When buying a property what searches should a solicitor carry out on the property?

I bought a property 2 years ago and am now being told there is a footpath running through it as per the definitive map.

[Vron]

I would like to have thought your solicitor would have spotted it, however my Aunt had a similar case, bought a house with a garden (terraced house). Went to put a fence up and the guy from about 3 houses away states its his garden. The map from the land registry on inspection did show the boundary line and that the neighbour was correct.

The solicitor stated it was upto my Aunt to have checked the land registry map and get stuffed. Estate agent said they were sorry about advertising the house with a garden (infact it had no garden at all) but the previous owner told the Agent the garden was theirs.

[GreenDog]

Vron said:

The solicitor stated it was upto my Aunt to have checked the land registry map and get stuffed.

That's a bit scary - I always assumed that if something like this came up the solicitor would be liable. Having said that the one I used was very thorough, we spent ages going through all the details of the searchs when he got them back.

[rlw]

Vron said:

I would like to have thought your solicitor would have spotted it, however my Aunt had a similar case, bought a house with a garden (terraced house). Went to put a fence up and the guy from about 3 houses away states its his garden. The map from the land registry on inspection did show the boundary line and that the neighbour was correct.

The solicitor stated it was upto my Aunt to have checked the land registry map and get stuffed. Estate agent said they were sorry about advertising the house with a garden (infact it had no garden at all) but the previous owner told the Agent the garden was theirs.

I think that you are supposed to look at the documents they send you and say yes or no to be honest.