Submitting enquiries to the local authority, and to the water and drainage undertaker, and interpreting the responses, is a vital element of the conveyancing process, intended to elicit comprehensive information about the property in contemplation of purchase. These enquiries supplement the usual search of the register of local land charges, and are now in the standard forms Con 29R: Enquiries of Local Authority (2007), Con 29O: Optional Enquiries of Local Authority (2007), and Con 29DW: Standard Drainage and Water Enquiries (2007). New editions of the forms came into use in August 2007.
Enquiries of Local Authorities and Water Companies: A Practical Guide provides an essential background to the enquiries, explaining the statutory provisions underlying each of the questions, and evaluating the likely replies. The 2007 editions of the enquiries have been drafted to take account of developments in legislation and practice, including the introduction of home information packs. Many of the enquiries have been updated, and a number of new enquiries now appear. For the first time, many of the enquiries have a statutory basis in the Home Information Pack (No. 2) Regulations 2007. The fifth edition of this book is therefore particularly timely - an indispensable tool for all conveyancers and for those in the local authorities and water companies who answer the enquiries.
