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The housing market has been enjoying a recent boom thanks to the reduced rates of  Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) which was extended to the 30th of June by the Chancellor in his March Budget. After this the nil rate threshold drops from £500,000 to £250,000 until 30 September 2021.  

This has led to a huge surge in demand for conveyancing services fueled by homebuyers rushing to take advantage of the SDLT deadline which is looming fast.  We understand the extra pressures that conveyancers are being placed under by buyers and that conveyancing timelines are often heavily influenced by the time it takes for searches to be returned.  

Ashfield is working hard to support conveyancers alongside our collaborative partners Future Climate Info to overcome any time pressures to help them deliver completion in a timely fashion. Speed is of the essence during the home buying process, and we are delighted to confirm that our FCI Flood Appraisal* service will be available on a next working day turnaround at no extra cost until the end of June, pending the instruction being received by 4pm.  

Buying a house is one of the most important financial decisions made and our FCI Flood Appraisal is a popular and integral part of the house buying search process. It delivers a powerful combination of data intelligence and expert analysis combing flood mapping and an experienced consultant’s view to show where flood risk may or may not potentially occur. It is recommended this more in-depth assessment is undertaken when a ‘Further Action’ has been identified within an initial FCI Environmental Search report. This results in the ability to potentially downgrade or further legitimise the Further Action status, with the inclusion of realistic solutions to manage any residual risk that may exist. 

A search report can make or break a property deal, so it is vital that homeowners are armed with the best analysis available, and that this information is provided quickly and efficiently to help everyone meet the SDLT deadline.