What is a local land charge search?
As part of the conveyancing process, a local land
charges search is undertaken when a property or a piece of
land is being purchased, leased, valued or re-mortgaged.
The object of the search is to uncover any restrictions or legal
obligations against the site such as tree preservation orders,
conditional planning consents, conservation areas, listed
buildings, etc.
A local land charges search is a compulsory part
of a Home Information Pack (new window), which have
been required for all properties marketed for sale since
December 2007.
What a local land charge search contains
A local authority land charges search usually comprises of two
elements (LLC1 and CON 29 'Required') submitted by two
separate forms as shown below. Both the LLC1 and CON 29 forms can
also be submitted separately. The fees for each type of submission
are given below.
LLC1 - Certificate of search of the local land charges
register.
The LLC1 (Local Land Charges 1) form is
required for a search of the local land charges register
entries held against the land or property such as planning
consents, grants, legal agreements, enforcement notices, listed
buildings and tree preservation orders and includes an official
certificate of search.
CON 29 - Enquiries of local authority.
The CON 29 (Conveyancing 29) form raises standard 'Required' and
'Optional' enquiries regarding the land or property.
'Required' enquiries include information on nearby road schemes,
planning and building decisions pending and outstanding notices.
Replies to 'Required' enquiries are needed for the purposes of
compiling a Home Information Pack. Further information can be
requested through 'Optional' enquiries or specific additional
enquiries.
Follow this link to find out
more about what a local land charge search
contains.
LLC1 and CON 29 forms are held by solicitors or conveyancers and
legal stationers.
Search fees
The fees for postal and
electronic searches are:
- For a 'standard search' (LLC1 and CON 29 'Required' submitted
together): £105.00.
- LLC1 certificate of search submitted separately:
£18.00.
- For a CON 29 'Required' search submitted separately:
£91.00.
- For each CON 29 'Optional' enquiry:
£12.00.
- For each additional enquiry: £15.00.
- For each additional parcel of land: £3.00 for
LLC1, £9.00 for CON 29, £12.00
for LLC1 & CON 29.
Personal search (land
charges register only): £11.00 for one parcel of
land (£1 for each additional parcel).
Before we can carry out a
search for you we require:
- Forms LLC1 and CON 29 in duplicate.
- The correct fee made payable to Suffolk Coastal District
Council.
- Two up-to-date Ordnance Survey plans with property outlined in
red.
The turn around time for completion of a basic local search is a
maximum of 3 working days from receipt.
Order your search online
Suffolk Searches is a new online shop for local land
searches. Any potential home-buyer, or anyone acting on their
behalf, can visit the Suffolk Searches website (new window) and order
a detailed electronic search from any Suffolk council.
The service offers an electronic search carried out by the
relevant council’s team who have the expertise and experience to
find all the necessary information regarding a particular property.
The cost of any search will depend on how much detailed information
is wanted, and in which area the house is. Follow this link for the
current fees for electronic searches (new
window).
Anyone still preferring the traditional postal search can still
contact Suffolk Coastal's local land charges section and have it
done that way, or to carry out their own personal search which
allows them to inspect the local land charges register and other
statutory publicly available registers.
Personal searches
A personal search does not provide all the information
given by a full search as it is an inspection of the local
land charges register only by the person carrying out the search. A
personal search can only be carried out by appointment and a site
plan of the search site must be emailed to us to us prior to the
visit so that we can locate all the records needed before you
arrive. The charge for a personal search is £11.00 for one
parcel of land (£1 for each additional parcel).
Drainage enquiries
For drainage and water enquiries please contact
Geodesys Ltd
(new window) who are part of Anglian Water.
Commons and village green enquiries
An official search of the Registers of Common Land and Town and
Village Greens can no longer be carried out by submitting form
CR 21 to Suffolk County Council. Form CR 21 was phased out on 30
September 2007 and is now replaced by question 22 on the CON 29
'Optional' form.
Commons and village green enquiries can be submitted to Suffolk
Coastal with any other CON 29 'Optional' enquiries for a fee of
£12.
The Registers of Common Land and Town or Village Greens are
available for public inspection at
Suffolk County Council (new window) during
office hours with reasonable notice. Telephone 01473 264190 to
make an appointment.
If copies of the register entries are required, these can be
supplied for an administration fee to cover the cost of
photocopying. For details telephone 01473 264190 or email
land.charges@legal.suffolkcc.gov.uk
Who owns that property?
Local land charges do not keep records of
who owns property or land. If you want to know
who owns a property or piece of land you need to contact the Land
Registry, a government body who deal with the registration of
ownership.
Online planning history and the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan
You can view the planning history of land and property in the
Suffolk Coastal district since 1988 by searching the Council's
online planning register (new window). Just
enter an address or postcode into the 'Search by address' search
box.
The Council's current planning policies in the
Suffolk Coastal Local Plan (new window) are
also available to view online.
You can use our online Graphical Information System(GIS) to carry out
address searches within the district and view some of the map based
information held by the Council, including planning history 1948 to
the present day, Suffolk Coastal Local Plan, conservation areas,
town and parish boundaries. You can also view historical maps of
parts of the district and aerial photography from 1999 and
2007.
Local planning authorities across the country, including Suffolk
Coastal, are in the process of replacing their Local Plans with
Local Development Frameworks. Follow this link to find out about
the Suffolk Coastal Local Development Framework.
Contact us
You can contact Suffolk Coastal's local land charges
section on 01394 444265 or 01394
444301 or email
land.charges@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk.
Our DX number is DX 41400 Woodbridge.
Our office hours are:
Monday to Thursday: 8.45am to 5.15pm.
Friday: 8.45am to 4.45pm.
Our address is:
Local Land Charges Section.
Suffolk Coastal District Council.
Melton Hill.
Woodbridge.
Suffolk IP12 1AU.