Land searches

Local Land Charges and Searches

Overview: Local Land Charges

The Local Land Charges Unit has two prime functions. First, it maintains the Register and issues searches as required by the Local Land Charges Act 1975. Secondly, it assembles information from various departments of the Council to enable replies to be submitted to a form of additional enquiries usually submitted with a search request. This service is largely demand led in terms of the activity in the property market and the number of conveyancing transactions taking place.

What is a Local Land Charge?

A restriction or prohibition on land with or without buildings or a financial charge.

A Local Land Charge is binding on successive owners or occupiers.

A Local Land Charge is normally a creation of statute.

What is a Local Land Charges Search (Official Search)?

Searches are usually undertaken by solicitors, conveyancers and lenders and is carried out by the Local Authority.

An official search is carried out by trained Local Authority Officers.

Most requests for a search of the Local Land Charges Register on form LLC1 are accompanied by a contractual document called "Con29: Enquiries of the Local Authority". The official certificate must be signed on behalf of the registering authority.

What is a Personal Search?

A Personal Search is a search of the Local Land Charges Register, carried out in accordance with the Local Land Charges Act 1975 and Local Land Charges Rules 1977 (as amended).

Any person may make a personal search of the Local Land Charges Register on payment of the prescribed fee. The person making the search where required by the Local Authority, their name and address. They should also be prepared to identify the parcel of land against which they wish to search. Local Land Charges staff are not always available to assist those wishing to conduct a personal search so some knowledge of Local Land Charges and/or the governing legislation is therefore necessary.

Personal searches can only be assigned on the basis of an appointment system. Appointments are available on a "first come, first served" basis only. In order to make an appointment you will need to contact the Local Land Charges Unit by phone.

What is form LLC1?

Form LLC1 is published by HMSO and is used to requisition an "official" search of the Local Land Charges Register from the relevant authority. The relevant legislation empowers only the "registering authority" to sign form LLC1.

Form Con29

Con29 contains supplementary enquiries on Planning, Highways, Building Regulations, drainage and other matters of interest to home buyers. The form is in two parts: Con29R contains the standard enquiries that are usually referred to the local authority in all cases; Con29O contains some additional optional enquiries that may be referred to the Local Authority in particular cases.

The Law Society holds the copyrights to form Con29 and should be obtained from authorised suppliers.

Parcels of Land

"Parcel of Land" means land (including a building or part of a building) which is separately occupied or separately rated, or in separate ownership.

Fees:

Official Searches	£195
Official Searches - NLIS	£193
Register Parts Only [LLC1]	£6
Register Parts Only [LLC1] - NLIS	£4
Extra Parcel of Land	£20
Con29O Optional Enquiries	£25
Additional Enquiries	£30
Personal Searches [Excluding Con29O Optional Enquiries]	£195
Personal Searches - Register Parts Only [LLC1]	£11

Copying Charges:

Copies of Planning Decisions and other statutory documents that have no specific price:
1-10 Pages	£16
Subsequent pages (per page)	£0.55
Scheme of Estate Management	£25

Online Searches

We now have Level 3 search capability and are able to return searches electronically. This significantly cuts the time between a search being submitted and the results being delivered to the client by eliminating the need for post or DX. Searches can be submitted through one of three licensed channels:-

Searchflow http://www.searchflow.co.uk/index.asp

TM Search http://www.tmproperty.co.uk/

MDA Transaction Online http://www.transaction-online.co.uk/stf/home.do

For further information visit The National Land Information Service: www.nlis.org.uk

Contact Us

Local Land Charges
Westminster City Council
PO Box 240
Victoria Street
London
SW1E 6QP

DX 2310 Victoria

Tel: 020 7641 2413
Fax: 020 7641 6069
Minicom: 020 7641 5912
E-mail: landcharges@westminster.gov.uk