Official and personal local land charge searches
On Tuesday 15 November 2022 we migrated our local land charges service to HM Land Registry’s national digital register.
How to apply
You can now apply for an official LLC1 or personal search using the new digital services through Business Gateway Portal or on the HM Land Registry website.
You can apply to us for a CON29 search in the usual way. View the local land charge search process and fees.
We provide solicitors, conveyancers and their clients with information specific to the land or property which they are interested in acquiring. This information is obtained by carrying out a search using the Business Gateway Portal, and the CON29 form submitted to us with the correct fee.
Once CON29 forms are officially validated they are usually handled within ten days. You should not call us to check progress during this timeframe.
Local searches
A local search consists of two parts:
- Restrictions on the property which are binding on successive owners, for example financial charges, Tree Preservation Orders and enforcement notices.
- Replies to enquiries on a nationally agreed form giving information of a more general nature. These include highway proposals, planning history and other planning related matters and outstanding notices.
Much of this information is supplied by other council departments, the government and outside bodies.
Official searches
We no longer provide a search of the Local Land Charges register (LLC1) service. You can access the new digital service through the Business Gateway Portal to obtain your LLC1 search results. We will continue to carry out official CON29 searches.
The Law Society which regulates solicitors encourages the use of official searches. It advises that alternative personal searches of the legal register should be undertaken only with the approval of the purchasers when time does not permit official searches; especially as personal searches only disclose limited information.
Members of the public are advised to confirm with their solicitors that an official search has been undertaken and to inspect the Official Certificate of Search (LLC1) and CON29 enquiries to ensure that they have both been carried out to their satisfaction.
Personal searches
We no longer provide a personal search. You are able to carry out a personal search of the register using the new digital service through the Business Gateway Portal.
A personal search is a search of the Local Land Charges Register only and does not reveal the full information provided by an official search.
Other legal registers held by us are open for public inspection.