Chris May highlighted the fact that many properties in England and Wales are potentially liable to be called upon to contribute to chancel repairs, which is currently an overriding interest of which most owners will be entirely ignorant (see [2005] Gazette, 22 September, 33).

Mr May said that to carry out a chancel repair search at the National Archive in every conveyancing transaction would lead to extra cost and time delay which would cause mayhem in the market. He then said 'conveyancers will have to look at alternative methods to identify where there is potential risk'. Failure to investigate would be negligent.


Does he, or anyone else, have any practical suggestion as to what a conveyancer should do?


RJ Mugford, Mugford & Co, Titchfield, Hampshire