diff --git a/synapse/handlers/search.py b/synapse/handlers/search.py

index 66f1bbcfc4..94062e79cb 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/search.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/search.py
@@ -15,23 +15,28 @@
 
 import itertools
 import logging
-from typing import Iterable
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Dict, Iterable, List, Optional
 
 from unpaddedbase64 import decode_base64, encode_base64
 
 from synapse.api.constants import EventTypes, Membership
 from synapse.api.errors import NotFoundError, SynapseError
 from synapse.api.filtering import Filter
+from synapse.events import EventBase
 from synapse.storage.state import StateFilter
+from synapse.types import JsonDict, UserID
 from synapse.visibility import filter_events_for_client
 
 from ._base import BaseHandler
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from synapse.app.homeserver import HomeServer
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 class SearchHandler(BaseHandler):
-    def __init__(self, hs):
+    def __init__(self, hs: "HomeServer"):
         super().__init__(hs)
         self._event_serializer = hs.get_event_client_serializer()
         self.storage = hs.get_storage()
@@ -87,13 +92,15 @@ class SearchHandler(BaseHandler):
 
         return historical_room_ids
 
-    async def search(self, user, content, batch=None):
+    async def search(
+        self, user: UserID, content: JsonDict, batch: Optional[str] = None
+    ) -> JsonDict:
         """Performs a full text search for a user.
 
         Args:
-            user (UserID)
-            content (dict): Search parameters
-            batch (str): The next_batch parameter. Used for pagination.
+            user
+            content: Search parameters
+            batch: The next_batch parameter. Used for pagination.
 
         Returns:
             dict to be returned to the client with results of search
@@ -186,7 +193,7 @@ class SearchHandler(BaseHandler):
         # If doing a subset of all rooms seearch, check if any of the rooms
         # are from an upgraded room, and search their contents as well
         if search_filter.rooms:
-            historical_room_ids = []
+            historical_room_ids = []  # type: List[str]
             for room_id in search_filter.rooms:
                 # Add any previous rooms to the search if they exist
                 ids = await self.get_old_rooms_from_upgraded_room(room_id)
@@ -209,8 +216,10 @@ class SearchHandler(BaseHandler):
 
         rank_map = {}  # event_id -> rank of event
         allowed_events = []
-        room_groups = {}  # Holds result of grouping by room, if applicable
-        sender_group = {}  # Holds result of grouping by sender, if applicable
+        # Holds result of grouping by room, if applicable
+        room_groups = {}  # type: Dict[str, JsonDict]
+        # Holds result of grouping by sender, if applicable
+        sender_group = {}  # type: Dict[str, JsonDict]
 
         # Holds the next_batch for the entire result set if one of those exists
         global_next_batch = None
@@ -254,7 +263,7 @@ class SearchHandler(BaseHandler):
                 s["results"].append(e.event_id)
 
         elif order_by == "recent":
-            room_events = []
+            room_events = []  # type: List[EventBase]
             i = 0
 
             pagination_token = batch_token
@@ -418,13 +427,10 @@ class SearchHandler(BaseHandler):
 
         state_results = {}
         if include_state:
-            rooms = {e.room_id for e in allowed_events}
-            for room_id in rooms:
+            for room_id in {e.room_id for e in allowed_events}:
                 state = await self.state_handler.get_current_state(room_id)
                 state_results[room_id] = list(state.values())
 
-            state_results.values()
-
         # We're now about to serialize the events. We should not make any
         # blocking calls after this. Otherwise the 'age' will be wrong
 
@@ -448,9 +454,9 @@ class SearchHandler(BaseHandler):
 
         if state_results:
             s = {}
-            for room_id, state in state_results.items():
+            for room_id, state_events in state_results.items():
                 s[room_id] = await self._event_serializer.serialize_events(
-                    state, time_now
+                    state_events, time_now
                 )
 
             rooms_cat_res["state"] = s