When a Local Authority search comes back cleanly and on time, it is easy to take for granted. When it does not, you find out quickly how much the quality of the local authority search specialists behind it matters.
It can come as a surprise that Local Authority searches are not a fully automated process. Unlike a simple database query, a significant number of councils across England and Wales still require physical attendance to retrieve or check records, with data not accessible remotely by any platform or software. Someone has to physically go to that Local Authority, sit at the council’s computer and retrieve the data manually.
That is precisely why we believe in maintaining a strong regional presence – it is a direct factor in how reliably searches come back, and how quickly complications get resolved.
At tmGroup, we have 29 regional search specialists with an average of nine years’ experience each, representing 270 years of combined knowledge across local authority processes, common local issues, and the practical differences between how individual councils operate. That local knowledge shapes what happens when something needs chasing: a specialist who knows a particular council, who to contact, and what to ask, can resolve issues that no automated process can reach.
Our customer support team in Swindon handles follow-ups and queries when you need a response fast. Over the past year, our average email response times have fallen by over 50%. As a result, 95% of our searches are delivered on time – and on those few occasions when they’re not, you’ll know in advance, and you’ll know why.
For Helen Barry, who heads up the residential property department at Robertsons Solicitors in Cardiff, this is exactly what her team needed when they switched to tmGroup. Having worked with her tmGroup account manager for around 25 years across different firms, she knew what good looked like.
“If they can’t do something, they’ll say so upfront. They won’t promise you the world and then, on the day you’re expecting the search, tell you it’ll be another week. They’re honest with you about what’s possible and what isn’t.”
Helen Barry, Head of Residential Property, Robertsons Solicitors
When searches are delayed, having someone who can explain why and provide a realistic timescale makes it considerably easier to manage client expectations. That combination of regional knowledge, honest communication and accessible support is what Helen points to when recommending tmGroup to colleagues.
But behind that experience is the work of specialists on the ground – people who take personal responsibility for the quality of every search they deliver.
As one of our Regional Search Agents, Kristian puts it:
“If I were buying the house, I’d want the correct information the first time round – no errors. That’s what I work towards on every search, because my name goes on it.”
Kristian Whitehead, Regional Search Agent, tmGroup
That mindset – of ownership, accuracy and pride in the detail – is what underpins every search we produce.
For everything else searches can reveal, including environmental risk, drainage, mining and climate, and how to guide clients through the findings, read our full search guide here: “What your search data is telling you – and what your clients need to hear”
Read the full Robertsons Solicitors case study here.
Whether you are reviewing your current search provider or simply want to understand what working with tmGroup looks like, we are happy to have a chat.
Visit tmgroup.co.uk or call us on 0800 840 5571
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