Severn Trent Searches launches enhanced Drainage and Water search

Severn Trent Searches (STS) has launched an enhanced CON29DW Drainage and Water search ahead of the introduction of Home Information Packs on 1 August.

The company has decided to launch the HIPs compliant CON29DW Drainage and Water search as it believes it will have significant benefits for homebuyers. The new search has been designed to increase the amount of information available to homebuyers and to improve consumer protection.

New elements covered in the report include:

Risk of flooding – a new section indicating whether a property is at risk of internal flooding from overloaded public sewers and actions that can be taken to reduce or remove that risk.

Risk of low water pressure or flow – this section will assess whether a property is at risk of problems with low water pressure

Location of nearest public sewage works – reveals the distance and direction to the nearest sewage treatment works from the property and therefore the risk from odour or insects Water quality analysis – current regulations exist to ensure that water is safe to drink and aesthetically acceptable. The new search will indicate whether the water in an area meets the standards set out in the regulations.

STS CON29DW Drainage and Water searches will now consist of 25 questions (previously 11) which have been drawn up by a working group including the Consumer Council for Water, Communities and Local Government and the Law Society.

“The revisions and additions to the CON29DW search are sensible and benefit consumers so we decided to introduce this service in advance of HIPs,” comments Mark Jarvis, General Business Manager, Severn Trent Searches. “It will give our customers more information on which to base their decisions and is part of our overall aim of giving a market leading service.”