LAWYERS and estate agents are demanding action from Wiltshire Council over “nightmare” delays to land searches.

Last week, the council was highlighted as the worst local authority in the country, with figures for December showing it took an average of 39 days to process searches – five times longer than the UK average.

Now, lawyers and estate agents in the city have come together to demand “meaningful and lasting action” to the problem which is causing further stress to buyers at an already stressful time – and aborted sales.

David McKillop, senior partner at McKillop and Gregory, said: “Everybody is affected. All the sales we have got at the moment are subject to this nightmare.

“There is so much anxiety and grief involved – it’s just not fair and no-one seems accountable.”

Jordans director James Jordan said: “The cost to local business in delayed completions and the utter disbelief by local people must see Wiltshire Council take meaningful and lasting action.

“We already have two abortive sales this year which are largely due to the time delays and we are altogether tired with the excuses offered by the council.

“We have always been told that there is a staffing issue or change in software and we accept that from time to time any organisation goes through change but this has been rumbling on for year after year without anyone offering a long-term solution.”

Tim Clayden, partner at Wilsons Solicitors, said the delays were “simply unacceptable”, adding: “It is a major impediment and an anathema to all involved in the house selling business.

Wiltshire Council’s track record is an embarrassment and must be properly addressed once and for all.”

And Clive Gregory, partner at Woolley & Wallis, said: “I first contacted the head of the Land Charges department six years ago regarding the delays, and I have been in contact with them on a regular basis ever since.

Other local authorities have turnaround times of days rather than eight weeks.”

The problem is affecting both residential and commercial transactions. The searches reveal details on council records such as breaches of planning regulations and rights of way over access routes.

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said extra recruitment meant there was now a team of 17 people.

He said: “The service is looking at ways of improving efficiency and that includes the possible digitisation of the service, although there are no timescales when this might happen.”