About property searches
If you're buying a property or a business, your advocate might recommend a property search.
There are different types of property searches that might find out about existing issues at the premises you're thinking of buying, for example:
- noise
- radon
- the drinking water supply
- contaminated land
- missing planning permissions
- fire safety
Anything that comes out of a property search might affect your decision to buy the property or affect the price you're prepared to pay for the premises.
You can find out more about each type of property search below and which department can provide it for you.
Planning and building permissions
| About | This property search will report on all planning and building applications made since 1988, what the application was for and the outcome (pending, approved, refused or withdrawn).
For records after 2001 we’ll also provide details of conditions attached to the permit or reasons for refusal, as well as letting you know if the building work has commenced or has been completed. You can ask for a property search for a flat or house or for a main building. If you require searches on multiple addresses, you’ll need to submit an application for each address. |
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| Who can apply | Anyone, but it's mostly used by lawyers acting on behalf of a client buying or selling a property
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| Cost | £176.40
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| How to apply | Fill out the form and
send it to the Planning Department.
 Planning property search form |
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| Turnaround time | 10 working days after we’ve received the completed form and correct payment
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Fire safety and petroleum
| About | This property search checks whether a property falls within the confines of any fire safety or licencing legislation, details of any reports and inspections, and whether there are any outstanding requirements relating to fire safety. It also provides information on any existing or historical petroleum installations or overground or underground storage tanks of petroleum spirit.
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| Who can apply | Lawyers acting on behalf of a client buying or selling a property
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| Cost | £478 per property
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| How to apply |
Email Fire and Rescue Service
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| Turnaround time | 10 days
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Water pollution risks
| About | This property search checks for a variety of data including:
- locations of streams
- wells
- springs
- boreholes
Information on the risk of pesticides and manure can also be obtained |
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| Who can apply | Anyone can obtain this information using the online water pollution risk map |
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| Cost | This is currently free of charge
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| How to use | There are a number of layers on the map that can be switched on or off depending on the type of information you would like to view |
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| View the map | View water pollution risk map |
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Drains and sewerage
| About | This property search checks for the connection of properties to the main drains system and whether there are any drainage faults that need to be fixed. The search also checks for properties on private drainage systems, ie tight tanks or septic tank systems |
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| Who can apply |
Lawyers acting on behalf of a client buying or selling a property |
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Cost
| £84.81 |
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| £113.07 if requested within 3 days of completion |
| How to apply |
Email DFI drainage or call +44 (0) 1534 448217 or +44 (0) 1534 448554
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| Turnaround time | 5 working days
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Environmental health
| About | This property search checks if there are any outstanding legal notices, any reported structural issues, any reported neighbour issues (such as noise complaints), and if there's any known contaminated land nearby.
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| Who can apply | Anyone, but it's mostly used by lawyers acting on behalf of a client buying or selling a property
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| Cost | £82.95
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| How to apply |
Email Environmental Health |
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| Turnaround time | 10 working days |
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If you're buying a food business
You should speak to the vendor about any outstanding food safety issues.
You'll also need to register the food business using the form below.
Licenses to sell refreshments
gov.je