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Land Charges

We can provide you with searches for information held by us about a property, such as planning history, building regulations, road schemes, proposed enforcement action, and more.

Please note that the Official Certificate of Search (form LLC1) is now available from HM Land Registry's search for local land charges service, rather than us.

Land charges are not information in regard to Planning or Building Control, which are different matters. Planning and Building Control information is available to view using our Public Access system.

Contents

The searches

We provide and complete the Enquiries of Local Authority: the Required Enquiries of Local Authority, via the 'CON29R' form, and the Optional Enquiries of Local Authority, via the 'CON29O' form.

Uniquely amongst search providers, we are the one stop shop to provide all the information in searches.
Other search providers have access to statutory registers and a limited amount of 'unrefined' information, and must refer follow up queries arising from search reports to the original provider of the data.
We are the original provider and have all the unrefined information. When we carry out a search for you, we include it all.

Required Enquiries of Local Authority (CON29R)

The Required Enquiries of Local Authority that you can request from us via the CON29R form is a series of searches on planning history, building regulations, road schemes, proposed enforcement action, etc.

You can request specific individual searches if you don't want the standard CON29R search.

Optional Enquiries of Local Authority (CON29O)

Optional Enquiries of Local Authority via the form CON29O is for public footpaths, highways, informal notices, common land, etc.

You'll need to pay a fee for each optional enquiry.

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Apply for searches

To request a search, please send us:

  • Your completed CON29R or CON29O forms as appropriate (the forms are available under license from the Law Society and legal stationers),
  • An Ordnance Survey plan clearly defining the outline of the site to be searched,
  • A copy of any written enquiries,
  • Confirmation that you have paid for your searches.

For the fastest service, please use email. Here are our contact details.

Please allow 5-10 working days.

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How to pay and our prices

Here are our fees for the various searches. Please note we are no longer able to provide LLC1 searches, which are now provided by HM Land Registry.

Payment can be made here.

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Copy documents

Copy documents are provided to property owners or their appointed agents upon written confirmation (including by email) only.

Hard copy files are retained for a minimum of 15 years from the date of application. After 15 years, copies may not available.

We do not issue certificates or notices in respect of work carried out under a competent person self-certification scheme. The owner or occupier of the property may produce any such certificates.

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(National) Land registration applications

Find out where to send Land Registration applications and correspondence, and more, at GOV.UK.

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A brief explanation of land charges

Here is some extra information about land charges.

Why have searches?

Searches are part of the standard conveyancing process for the purchase of land and/or property.

The results of searches are used to help a prospective purchaser decide on the desirability and suitability of the property, as well as informing of any enforceable registrations in existence and future proposals under consideration at the time the search was carried out.

Enquiries of Local Authority (CON29R and CON29O)

The CON29 form has been in use for over 50 years and was created to compliment the LLC Register search. The form contains a standard set of enquires agreed by central government, the law society and local authorities.

The CON29 enquiry form serves to provide prospective purchasers with information which relates to the property being searched and in some cases the area in which the property is situated, it provides information on items in existence as well as items that are in the pipe line/being considered, and/or awaiting approval. It is often these items that without the CON29 enquiry form would go unnoticed and have a material effect on the future use, development and enjoyment as well as financial burden of the property. Whilst some of the enquiries seem to replicate areas of the LLC Register this is not the case, as the information revealed in response relates to notices or procedures prior to LLC Registration.

The vast majority of the information used to respond to the CON29 enquiries comes from within the local authority or from the County Council (where applicable).

A CON29 enquiry form can be completed by either the local authority (LA) or another. The LA completed CON29 is backed by the LA's insurance and is commonly referred to as an official CON29. Completion of the CON29 form by the LA is not a statutory function, but a contractual function upon payment of the required fee.

The LLC Register

A Local Land Charges (LLC) Register was maintained by every local authority in England and Wales (with the exception of County Councils). Under the Infrastructure Act 2015 responsibility for the registers was transferred to HM Land Registry in a phased approach. The first transfer was in summer 2018. Ours transferred in Autumn 2021, and is now the responsibility of HM Land Registry. We are no longer responsible for the LLC Register

The LLC Register records details of all entries registered against properties within the borough that fall within the definition of a local land charge e.g. expressly made an LLC by statute or a charge which is a restriction or prohibition on a parcel of land securing payment or restricting use and is binding on successive owners. There are 12 different parts of the LLC Register covering a wide range for areas, e.g. financial charges through planning, miscellaneous, aviation, listed buildings and light obstructions notices.

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