The conveyancing process is full of moving parts, but one critical risk continues to go undetected in thousands of property transactions every year – property development.

.

Here at DevAssist, we specialise in uncovering the hidden development threats that traditional conveyancing searches routinely miss. Since 2012, we’ve helped countless solicitors, property buyers, and lenders mitigate development-related risk and protect their investments and reputations.

.

The numbers speak for themselves

In the first quarter of 2025, 44% of the properties we reported on revealed a high risk of nearby development. That’s almost half.

.

From new builds and major extensions to rooftop developments and change-of-use conversions, these threats can dramatically impact a property’s value, views, and enjoyment, and can easily lead to post-completion complaints or even legal action.

.

Did you know?

• Over 20% of all legal complaints are conveyancing-related
• Many of those are rooted in missed planning or development issues
• Conveyancing solicitors are among the highest-risk professions for negligence claims today

.

That’s where DevAssist comes in

DevAssist is the only UK company providing bespoke property development risk reports that assess not just the property itself, but the wider area, identifying development threats that other searches simply do not cover.

.

Standard due diligence often stops at local authority searches, which only show limited, reactive data. We take it further – auditing the wider planning landscape and providing strategic, solicitor-friendly insight into current and future risks.

.

Why this matters to law firms
.
 ✅ 40% of our reports reveal critical nearby development threats
✅ Protect clients from surprises post-completion
✅ Reduce your exposure to professional negligence claims
✅ Strengthen your firm’s due diligence process
✅ Add real value to your client offering

.

Whether you’re advising a buyer, representing a lender, or managing a sale, our reports provide unique visibility into a property’s future, not just its past.

.

The DevAssist edge

Our reports, including DevAssess, DevAssess Premium Residential, DevAssist Premium Commercial,  DevCity, DevProbate, each deliver specialist insight for different types of property and transactions.

We are proud to serve many residential and commercial clients across England and Wales, offering a level of development risk analysis that no other provider matches. Over a third of our reports identify high-risk issues – issues that can affect everything from mortgage funding to resale value, and even lead to legal disputes if missed.

.

Free training: Future-proof your risk awareness

We’re passionate about supporting legal professionals, not just with our reports, but with knowledge.

That’s why we offer free, practical training sessions for law firms. Led by our Managing Director, Paul Addison, these sessions are designed specifically for residential and commercial property teams. They unpack key risks, emerging planning trends, and real-world case studies.

.

Here’s some of the things we’ll cover:

.

• The £2m Bird & Bird claim: what went wrong?
• How planning policy shifts are enabling more greenfield development
• Hidden risks that standard searches miss
• PI protection: reducing liability with smarter due diligence
  .
  

Whether you’re a small or a large firm, we’ll tailor the session to your needs, all at no cost.

.

Want to find out more?

DevAssist is proud to be supporting the Surrey Law Society. If you’d like to arrange a training session or explore how DevAssist can support your firm, just get in touch.

Visit www.devassist.co.uk, email us at maria@devassist.co.uk to book your session today.