Whilst it may appear that the commercial property you are purchasing is in good condition, what about the land it was built upon? There may, for example, be hidden contamination in the soil due to previous land use. Many people are not aware that in the event the original polluter cannot be located (or indeed no longer exists) the owner/occupier of the commercial property may be forced to rectify any damage caused as a result of the contamination. If the contamination spreads to other land nearby the clean-up costs could be substantial.
The environmental desk top search collates information obtained from the Environment Agency, Ordinance Survey and other data providers about the historical use of the land. It also provides a risk assessment with regard the likelihood of any contamination existing under the commercial property you propose to purchase.
