Contact:
  • Land Charges Section
  • Address:
    Trimbridge House, Trim Street, Bath BA1 2DP
  • E-mail:
    land_charges@bathnes.gov.uk
  • Telephone:
    01225 477092
  • Fax:
    01225 477655
  • Minicom:
    Not available
  • Page Updated:
    22/11/2008
  • Author:
    John Guzzardi
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LAND CHARGES

Official Local Authority Searches

 

As anyone who has ever bought a house or property will know, it is an important part of the conveyancing process to make a Local Authority Search. 

The Search forms

Form LLC1 and Form CON29R (available from legal stationers, or available online from Oyez FormsLink - for web site click on other websites external link) must be submitted in duplicate for a standard search enquiry. The replies provide information on whether there are any Local Land Charges or other proposals which may affect the property or land.

The Search of the Register (Form LLC1)

Replies to the LLC1 form of the Local Search will reveal the existence of any 'charges' (e.g. any planning, environmental, financial or highway restrictions) made against the property or previous owners by local authorities or central government. This is a statutory procedure. The charges are held in the Local Land Register, which we maintain.

Enquiries of Local Authority (Form CON29R)

Responses to the CON29R form will provide relevant building regulations, local plan, environmental health, planning and highways information affecting the property.

The form contains a list of questions prepared by the Law Society. The replies provide information which is useful when buying a property, for example:

  • whether or not the highways adjoining the property are publicly maintained
  • major road schemes close to the property, and minor schemes abutting or affecting the property
  • drainage to the property
  • a list of planning decisions affecting the property
  • contaminated land
  • a list of building regulations affecting the property

Optional enquiries

The CON29O search form is for requesting optional enquiries, for example the location of pipelines and public footpaths. Optional enquiries do not need to be made at the time you submit your standard search enquiry; they can be submitted on their own.  There is a fee of £15 for each optional enquiry.

Additional Enquiries

Additional enquiries written by the applicant should be typed on a separate sheet and enclosed with the search. There is a fee of £15 for each of these enquiries.

Cancelling Searches

We do not cancel searches once they have been entered into our computerised system.  This is due to the quick turnaround of local searches.

Expediting Searches

Land Charges do not offer an expedition service.  However, if the local search is urgent we are happy to receive phone calls informing us of this.  We will then endeavour to turn the search around as quickly as possible. Please bear in mind that we have one of the quickest search turnaround times in the country.

Personal Searches

A Personal search of the Local Land Charges Register can be made by yourself, your solicitor or an agent.

To do this, you will need to make an appointment with the Land Charges Office in Trimbridge House, Trim Street, Bath.  You should ring us on (01225 477092) at least 24 hours in advance so that we have time to prepare your search.

The personal Search will consist of a list of entries in the Local Land Charges Register and a viewing of the Highway records.

Common Land Searches

Local Land Charges hold records of the Common Land, and the Town and Village Greens in Bath and North East Somerset.   From 1 October 2007 applications for Common Land Searches must be submitted as an optional enquiry using Form CON29O and cost £15.
 

The Common Land & Village Green Register

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The Register of Common Land & Village Greens is a statutory document and can be inspected by anyone making an appointment to do so.

This shows all land and property which is registered as Common Land or Village Green Land in the Bath and North East Somerset Area.

The Register has only three parts, which are:

Part 1  Gives a description of the land and the date of when it was made Common Land or a Village Green;
Part 2 Gives details of who has common rights over the land;
Part 3 Gives details of ownership of the land


Common Land Searches within Bath & North East Somerset should be submitted to Local Land Charges.  As of 1 October 2007 Form CR21 is obsolete - applications for Common Land Searches must now be submitted as an optional enquiry using Form CON29O for which the fee is £15.