An environmental search may be necessary to ascertain whether the property you are intending to purchase may potentially be affected by factors such as flooding, subsidence or landslip. It also provides information together regarding air quality, landfill sites, waste sites or contaminated sites near the property.

Liability for contaminated land now rests with the current owner or occupier where the past polluter cannot be found. As a result, homebuyers may face serious financial penalties and health risks if they purchase property on contaminated land. An environmental report can help reduce the conveyancer's exposure to negligence and guard the purchaser against property blight. Environmental reports can be obtained for residential and commercial property. There are several companies offering different environmental reports.

Each environmental reporting company may differ in what information is provided but as a guide the following is revealed:

• flood risk and flood insurability verdict
• radon exposure
• coal mining screening
• natural and mining cavities
• shallow mining assessment
• underground working and mining
• natural ground subsidence assessment
• potentially infilled land
• mobile transmitter locations
• ecologically sensitive sites