Do I Need a Coal Mining Search
My Conveyancing Specialist · Coal mining searches for home buyers · Reviewed by Richard David, Last reviewed August 2026
You need a coal mining search if the property you’re buying sits in a former coal mining area — and a surprising amount of the UK does, including the South Wales Valleys and parts of Cardiff. Around one in four homes across England, Wales and Scotland stand on old coalfields. If yours is one of them, your conveyancer will order the search as a routine part of the process. Here’s when it’s needed, what it reveals, and what it costs.
| In short
● You need one only if the property is in a coalfield area — but in former coalfields it’s effectively standard. ● Your conveyancer checks the location and orders the search for you if it’s required. ● It reveals old mine workings, shafts, subsidence claims and mine gas near the property. ● It costs roughly £40–£60 and comes back in 1–3 working days. ● Most homes in coal mining areas sell perfectly normally — the search is about peace of mind. |
What is a coal mining search?
A coal mining search — the CON29M, a form set by the Law Society — reports on past, present and future underground and surface coal mining that could affect a specific property. It draws on the official records held by the Mining Remediation Authority (renamed from the Coal Authority in 2024), and gives your conveyancer a clear picture of any coal mining risk before you commit to the purchase.
Do I need one?
It depends entirely on location. If the property lies within a coal mining reporting area, a search is strongly advised and, in practice, ordered as standard — most mortgage lenders require one for a property in a coalfield, in line with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook and Law Society guidance. If the property is nowhere near a former coalfield, you won’t need it at all. You don’t have to work this out yourself: your solicitor checks whether the address falls in an affected area and orders the coal mining report only if it does.
Which areas are affected?
Britain’s coalfield areas are extensive. Large parts of the West Midlands, the North East, Yorkshire, the North West, Scotland’s central belt, Kent — and, very much, South Wales — sit over former workings. The South Wales coalfield runs through the Valleys (Rhondda, Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare, Caerphilly and beyond) and reaches into parts of Cardiff, Newport and Swansea, so a coal mining search is a common, sensible step for buyers right across the region.
How to check if a property is in a coal mining area
You can get a free preliminary indication from the Mining Remediation Authority’s interactive map (via gov.uk), which shows whether an address falls within a reporting area. That’s a useful early check — but it isn’t the same as the formal Coal Authority search your conveyancer commissions, which is the property-specific report your lender will want to see.
What does a coal mining search reveal?
A coal mining report answers the questions that actually matter for your home:
- recorded mine workings and mine entries — shafts and adits — beneath or near the property;
- any history of coal mining subsidence damage claims (typically within 50 metres);
- ground stability and whether the property sits in the zone of influence of past workings;
- mine gas emissions, which can migrate from old workings;
- any present or future planned coal mining in the area;
- whether the site is in a development high-risk area needing further investigation.
How much does it cost, and how long does it take?
A residential coal mining search usually costs around £40–£60 and is returned within 1–3 working days — a small, quick item within your overall search pack.
Your conveyancer orders it and includes it in your quote.
What if the search finds something?
For most properties, the report is reassuring and the purchase carries on as normal — millions of homes in coal mining areas are bought and sold every year at ordinary market prices. Your property’s value, mortgage or buildings insurance premiums are only likely to be affected where the search flags a specific issue, such as shallow workings directly beneath the house, an uncapped shaft nearby, or a live subsidence claim. In those cases your conveyancer may recommend a follow-up Mine Entry Interpretive Report or further investigation before you proceed — which is exactly what the search is there to catch.
Related: Conveyancing solicitors in Cardiff · What are conveyancing searches?
Should I buy a house in a coal mining area?
Yes — with the search done. Being in a former coalfield is not a reason to walk away; it simply means the coal mining search becomes an essential check rather than an optional one. Get it, read it with your conveyancer, and you’ll buy with your eyes open.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Coal Authority now called?
The Coal Authority was renamed the Mining Remediation Authority in 2024. It still holds the official coal mining records that a coal mining search is based on.
How much does a coal mining search cost?
Typically around £40–£60 for a residential report, ordered by your conveyancer as part of your searches.
How long does a coal mining search take?
Usually 1 to 3 working days.
Does my property need a coal mining search?
Only if it’s in a coalfield reporting area — your solicitor checks the location and orders one if it’s needed. In former coalfields like South Wales it’s effectively standard.
Is a mining search necessary when buying a house?
In a coal mining area, yes — most lenders require it, and it protects you against buying a property with an undisclosed mining or subsidence problem.
This article is general information as at August 2026 and is not legal advice. Whether a coal mining search is required depends on the property — your conveyancer will confirm what’s needed for your purchase.
Buying in South Wales or beyond? Get a fixed-fee conveyancing quote today →