CHAINS of buyers and sellers are breaking down in south Wiltshire with people losing their dream homes say estate agents and solicitors due to the "appalling" length of time it takes Wiltshire Council to complete local authority searches.

Land searches are taking up to 12 weeks in the county compared to neighbouring counties where it takes just a few days, according to lawyers.

Managing director of Bassets estate agents David Clayton said the problem happens every year when the market gets busier and searches go from taking between two and three weeks up to 12 weeks.

He said: "The length of time is causing havoc with chains breaking down as deadlines get missed and the market moves on prompting one or other party to renegotiate sale prices.

"Salisbury is quite frankly a joke when it comes to this – it is only when the council is publicly shamed and then, and only then, that they add a small extra resource to bring the time down to a more acceptable level - but a still appalling one when compared with other areas.

"It really is absurd - it's like Groundhog Day every year."

The searches - vital for buyers who need to know details of council records on their potential new home - reveal matters such as breaches of planning regulations, whether there are road or railway schemes in the area and rights of way over access routes.

Partner and head of the residential property team at Trethowans law firm Tim Higham said: "It's the most important search which we all wait for. Hampshire County Council completes them within a few days - it's 12 weeks with Wiltshire Council.

"The Land Charges staff themselves are outstanding and the quality of the search is superb.

"However, the fact that the turnaround of the search result takes weeks, not days, is a great shame for our county, when compared to so many others, as it not only frustrates conveyancing solicitors, estate agents and of course the moving public, but surely the Land Charges staff themselves.

"With the sheer volume of searches being submitted, all at a minimum of £125 each, the delay and by definition, the lack of resources, makes little sense.

"I am even aware that some home movers – or their conveyancers more appropriately - bypass the council’s search, and pay a third party to interpret the council records compiling their own search report, rather than having the actual Land Charges staff carry out the search. This is not to be encouraged, nor should it be necessary.

"Having said all the above, we have always made the council aware when a search result is urgent, and the Land Charges team always oblige.

"But clearly searches should never become urgent. The problems have been happening for three or four years and we just want to get to the bottom of it. Enough is enough."

A Wiltshire Council spokesperson apologised for the delays saying: “Due to the volume of search requests for the south, there is unfortunately a delay in providing this information in this area, with the average turnaround time being around 35 days.

"Additional team members are now working to deal with the extra demand and reduce the backlog as quickly as possible."