Service Description

Our online Search Service enables you to check if coal mining or brine pumping activity affects a property. You can also order and receive searches online.

The system searches for a property using post code and house number or name. Once you have confirmed that the correct address has been entered, searches will be made against the Coal Authority’s database to advise you if a coal mining and brine subsidence claim search is recommended for the property. Where the service is unable to match the address details you have entered against the Postcode Address File, or if you are searching against a property that does not have a post code and house number or name, you will be able to search using the Full Property Address Entry section of the service. 

Ground Stability Searches are relevant throughout Scotland, England & Wales, since natural ground instability can occur in any area of Scotland, England and Wales. Customers may wish to consider the merits of purchasing a ground stability report from the Coal Authority even though the property lies outside of a traditional coal mining and brine subsidence claim area, since, apart from coal and brine subsidence matters, the ground stability report provides additional property specific information on natural ground subsidence hazards.

Where a coal mining and brine subsidence search is recommended you will be able to order the report online. If a coal mining and brine subsidence search is not recommended you will be offered the option to purchase a No Search Required Certificate confirming this information, or a report, online. The majority of reports are returned within 24 hours, the remainder within 72 hours. Ground stability reports are also available on-line.

Reports and certificates will be dispatched to you via email as a PDF (portable document format) attachment, or if you are a registered user you can chose to download your reports online as either a PDF or archived/ZIP PDF file. This is an Adobe product and requires you to have the free Adobe Reader, which can be  obtained from the Adobe website .

Four types of reports are available online:

• Coal & Brine Residential property search

• Coal & Brine Non-residential property, commercial or site search

• Ground Stability Residential property search
   - sample residential GSR on coalfield  
   - sample residential GSR on coalfield (Scotland)
   - sample residential GSR off coalfield (Scotland)

• Ground Stability Non-residential property, commercial or site search
   -  sample non-residential GSR on coalfield
   -  sample non-residential GSR off coalfield

A description of each type of report is contained within the    screen and is also available on the 'report selection screen'.

A coal mining and brine subsidence claim search for a residential property costs £18.00 + £3.15 VAT, total = £21.15 if it is ordered and returned online, as against £22.55 + £3.95 VAT, total = £26.50 for searches made by post or telephone. A report for a non-residential property, commercial or site search (up to a maximum of 25 hectares in extent) costs £42.55 + £7.45 VAT, total = £50.00, for each additional 25 hectares, a further £42.55 + £7.45 VAT, total = £50.00 will be charged. No Search Required Certificates cost £8.51 + £1.49 VAT, total = £10.00.

Where the Authority offer and provide a No Search Required Certificate (online service only) further to confirmation that a coal mining and brine subsidence search is not required for a particular property, this does not and should not be deemed to confirm that no coal mining strata is present, nor that some part of any coal resources present will (subject to obtaining planning permission and any necessary licences) not be worked at some future date, nor that minerals other than coal have not been worked in the vicinity of the property, nor that the property is not affected by any natural ground subsidence hazards, including, but not restricted to, shrinkable clay, running sand, compressible materials, collapsible materials, landslide activity or soluble rocks including limestone, chalk, gypsum or salt.

A ground stability report (ordered and returned online) for a residential property costs £19.00 + £3.33 VAT, total = £22.33 (off coalfield areas) or £29.00 + £5.08 VAT, total = £34.08 (on coalfield areas).  Searches made by post or telephone cost £33.19 + £5.81 VAT, total = £39.00 (on/off coalfield areas).  A ground stability report for a non-residential, commercial or site search (up to a maximum of 25 hectares in extent) costs £59.00 + £10.33 VAT, total = £69.33 if it is ordered and returned online and £68.09 + £11.92 VAT, total = £80.00 for searches made by post or telephone.  For every additional 25 hectares, charges will be increased by a further £59.00 + £10.33 VAT, total = £69.33 if ordered online or £68.09 + £11.92 VAT, total = £80.00 if ordered by post or telephone.

Payment for the reports is made via the WorldPay secure payment system or by monthly invoice. Monthly invoiced accounts are subject to application, acceptance and a formal credit agreement with the Authority.

Where the WorldPay secure payment system is used, the Search Service will automatically link you to the WorldPay system when payment is required. No credit or debit card details are seen or stored by the Coal Authority, and all payment transactions take place directly within the WorldPay system. For more information on the WorldPay system  please visit the WorldPay website .

In order to use the service you will require the following:

• post code and house number or name of the property you are interested in for established property.  A site description where this is not available.

• an email address

• your contact details including name, postal and email address and telephone number

• a credit or debit card (unless monthly invoiced account used)

• Netscape Browser version 4.0 or above, or Microsoft Internet Explorer Browser version 5.0 or above

• Screen resolution of 800x600 or above

Regular users can register online with their own user id and password to access the system. Where a user id and password is used, contact details are pre-recorded in the system and do not need to be re-entered each time you access the system. Credit or debit card information is not requested by the Coal Authority and is not stored within the system. For details on how to become a Registered User please refer to our  Frequently Asked Questions .

Once WorldPay confirms payment, or you receive confirmation that your request has been added to your monthly invoice, an EME number will be given and the Coal Authority will automatically produce the report or certificate. You will therefore not be able to cancel your order once you have received confirmation that the report or certificate has been ordered.

Before using the Search Service, customers must read the  Terms and Conditions 2006  under which all searches are provided.