What is it about?
Searches are carried out for intended purchasers to be made aware of any matters affecting the property or land they want to buy. These may be carried out by the buyer’s agent (e.g. solicitor, conveyancer etc.) or by the seller’s agent in order to provide details for a Home Information Pack.  The Council carries out “Official Searches” and replies to a form of standard (“local”) enquiries.  Private agencies also compile searches – these are known as “Personal Searches”.

Official Local Land Charges Searches
Official Searches guarantee comprehensive replies to the Official Search requisition and the local enquiry form.

The Law Society (which regulates solicitors) and many mortgage companies encourage the use of Official Searches and consider the alternative Personal Searches, which often disclose only limited information, should only be undertaken if the client is fully aware of the difference between these searches or where time does not permit Official Searches to be undertaken.  You may wish to ask your solicitor whether an Official Search will be/has been undertaken.

The Council’s Land Charges Department is responsible for processing searches as part of the house buying process.  Two application forms are required -  the “Requisition for Search and Official Certificate of Search” (better known as Form LLC1) and the form of enquiries (variously referred to as standard, local, required or Con29R enquiries) together with two plans that accurately identify the boundaries of the property.

Form LLC 1 - provides details of all “charges” registered in the Local Land Charges Register against the property (e.g. Tree Preservation Orders, Enforcement Notices, conditions attached to planning permissions,  financial charges, Demolition Orders etc.)

Form CON29R – answers various queries  in relation to other matters affecting the property such as the planning history of the property, building regulation information, road adoption, proposed improvement schemes or traffic orders for roads and other matters that could affect the use of the property.

Water Searches
South West Water looks after the network of public sewers.

List of fees for all Local Land Charges Services from 1 April 2008
(For ease of reference the tables below show our current fees)

Official Standard Search:	Form LLC1	£30.00
	Enquiry form	£69.00
	Total for Standard	£99.00
Additional Parcel of Land:	Form LLC1	£5.00
	Enquiry form	£12.00
	Total for Additional Parcel of Land	£17.00
Additional Enquiries:	Pre-Printed	£10.00
	Other	£15.00
Enhanced Personal Search:	(includes planning history and road adoption)	£37.00
Personal Search:	(of Local Land Charges Register only)	£11.00
Office copy of entry in Land Charges Register:	Collected by hand	£2.00
	Sent via post/document exchange	£5.00
Registration or filing documents in Part 11 of the Local Land Charges Register:		(price on application)

How do I request a search?
There are full instructions on the Local Land Charges forms.  Your agent (solicitor, estate agent, HIP agent/provider etc.) will have these forms or you can buy them from law stationers.

Our Commitment to you
Our turnaround time for processing Official Searches is 3-5 working days.

Do we expedite searches?
As our turnaround time is speedy anyway, we don't expedite searches as such, but for an additional fee of £5.00 we can fax your search results to you on the day its due out from our Land Charges Office, saving a day in the post.

National Land Information Service
Some agents have access to the National Land Information Service (NLIS) hub,  If so, they can submit search applications electronically and therefore can save a day in the post to and from the Local Land Charges Office.  An extra fee is often charged for using this hub to provide searches.