Introduction
Local land charges are restrictions on property or land. They are required to
- secure the payment of a sum of money
- limit the use of the land/property
They are binding upon successive owners.
The Local Land Charges Register records charges, such as:
- a payment required for works carried out in default of a notice
- a listed building
- a condition in a planning permission
A search of the register will show all registered entries on The Local Land Charges Register. This provides vital information to prospective purchasers. It enables informed decisions when buying a property/land.
A search of the Local Land Charges register
A search provides information required as part of the conveyancing process. These use a standardised set of questions defined by The Law Society.
The set of required forms for submission to carry out a search are:
- the LLC1, which is the Register of Local Land Charges Requisition for Search,
- the Con29, which provides the standard Enquiries of Local Authorities 2016 edition
A search may also be carried out by way of a Personal Search.
A personal search is by appointment only. Made in person, a personal search is a visual inspection of the Local Land Charges Register.
You can also arrange for access to all the data held by the Local Authority. This can help to answer the standard enquiries.
Form Con29O provides additional optional enquiries. These are a set questions which may be asked if a response would be in the interest of a prospective purchaser. The potential question(s) raised depends on the type of property or land being purchased.
Impact of COVID 19
Please be aware that Local Land Charge searches may take a little longer
At present we are returning results within the normal 10 working days. However, we have experienced waves of high demand for searches. During high demand please allow at least 20 working days for search results.
We process all searches in date order to ensure fairness to all service users. We are unable to provide regular updates for search replies. This takes time and resource away from answering those searches. Please only in exceptional circumstances enquire at landcharges@cornwall.gov.uk