The Search Code, a set of quality standards for organisations providing property search reports, celebrates its 20th anniversary having made a “significant contribution” to raising standards and protecting consumers said its custodians.
Launched in 2006, the Code sets out expectations for search and data providers around delivering high-quality search reports, operating transparently, and maintaining effective processes for addressing customer concerns. All subscribers to the Search Code are independently regulated by the Property Codes Compliance Board (PCCB).
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO), which sponsors and maintains the Search Code, said its longevity had “helped strengthen trust throughout the conveyancing process,” adding “over the past 20 years, the Search Code has continuously evolved to reflect changes in the property market, advances in technology and the growing expectations of consumers.”
CoPSO Chair Allison Bradbury said: “The 20th anniversary of the Search Code is an opportunity to reflect on the significant contribution it has made to raising standards and protecting consumers. For two decades, the Code has provided an important benchmark for quality, helping to ensure that consumers receive the reliable information they need when making one of the most important financial decisions of their lives.”
CoPSO said it remained committed to working with search providers, legal professionals and consumer groups to uphold standards and foster innovation while keeping consumer protection at the heart of its work, adding it anticipated the Code would continue to support best practice for many years to come.
