What is a Local Land Charge Search?

A recent article about Home Information Packs in a Sunday newspaper described council searches as ‘dull but essential documents’ that inform potential home buyers of any issues, such as planning permissions or road adoption schemes, that could affect the new owner of a property.

Though we would of course argue against the ‘dull’, we wholeheartedly support the statement that LLC searches are essential. A LLC search is required whenever a property is purchased, leased or re-mortgaged. It gives the solicitor, on behalf of the home mover, vital information on the existence of obligations, or ‘charges’, enforceable against the property or land. This information includes charges for services such as roads, restrictions such as tree preservation orders and conditions imposed on planning permissions, conservation areas, legal agreements and listed buildings.

North Devon Council’s LLC service is fast and provides fully guaranteed information.

This section deals with all registrable charges enforceable against the property or land.

This section will inform home movers for example, of any planning application and building regulations on the property or land, planning designations and proposals, if the roadway is maintained at public expense, any nearby road or traffic schemes, any decisions to compulsory purchase or acquire the property, does the property fall within contaminated or radon gas areas.

This section is made up of the following 19 individual optional enquiries

Road Proposals by Private Bodies

Public Paths or byways Advertisements

Completion Notices

Parks & Countryside

Pipelines

Houses in Multiple Occupation

Noise Abatement

Urban Development Areas

Enterprise Zones

Inner Urban Improvement Areas

Food Safety

Simplified Planning Zones

Land Maintenance Notices

Mineral Consultation Areas

Hazardous Substance Consents

Environmental and Pollution Notices

Food Safety Notices

Hedgerow Notices

Registered Common Land and Town or Village Green