OFT calls for reform of property search market

Research carried out for the Office of Fair Trade (OFT) finds the price of property searches provided by local authorities varies greatly, with a range of £55 to £269, and it is likely that some consumers are paying too much. It says local authorities provide property information under a complex framework of legislation and that some local authorities restrict access by property buyers and their agents, including private sector companies, to the property information that they hold. The OFT has called for local authorities make their property information available to third parties on non...