Environment
Land Searches
Before completing a property transaction a Local Land Charges Search should be submitted to the local authority in whose area the land is situated. This page briefly explains the Local Land Charges Search process. It is always advisable to seek independent legal advice about buying a property, including the conduct of any land searches.
The local land charges search is normally submitted by either the purchaser's or the vendors’ solicitor. A lessee or mortgagee (lender) may also submit a search. Any member of the public can obtain one. In each case there is a fee for this. Standard land searches normally take about 3 working days because we have to request some information from Bedfordshire County Council.
NOTE: We do not hold any details about ownership of land or property or in respect of private covenants or restrictions on land. We cannot advise or adjudicate on property boundaries. To investigate these matters you may wish to contact HM Land Registry at Peterborough (Tel: 01733 288288) and it is always prudent to seek independent legal advice on these matters.
The Bedford Borough Local Land Charges Search
The purpose of a local land charges search is to check if there are any matters affecting the property which are registered as a local land charge, or whether information is held by the Council about which the buyer raises specific questions.
The standard search will be in two parts:-
- LLC1 the first part, the Official Certificate of Search Form, deals with all the registerable charges that bind the land searched, for example financial charges (registered against the property by the local authority), improvement grants, tree preservation orders, conditional planning consents since 1st August 1977 and planning obligations.
- CON29 the second part, called Enquiries of Local Authorities Form, is a series of standard enquiries that deal with issues such as road schemes, the planning history of the property and various notices which affect the property. The CON29 form is completed by staff at the Borough Council with highways information provided by the County Council. A section of CON29 allows for optional enquiries which are raised by the searcher him/herself.
NB: All replies given to local land charges searches will only apply to the land which is the subject of the search (LLC1) and which relate to the specific questions raised (CON29). See How to request a search and fees.
NLIS SearchesThe National Land Information Service provides a ready-made Internet - based infrastructure that allows Bedford Borough searches to be submitted and responded to on-line.
Conveyancers and other interested parties, such as mortgage lenders and insurers, can submit search requests to this authority by filling in electronic Con 29 and LLC1 forms.
The service requires the searcher to have an electronic communication system in place.
For more details see
NLIS.
Other types of searches
Other authorities can conduct searches on a property or parcel of land. Their contact details are provided below to help you, because these searches are not part of the official Local Land Charges Search.
Drainage Anglian Water (through Geodesys Ltd)
Tel: 01480 323889
Web:
www.geodesys.comHow to request a search
There are full instructions on the Local Land Charge Search forms. Your solicitor will have these forms or you can buy them from law stationers.
Two copies of the LLC1 and CON29 forms are required to be submitted at the same time if answers to both are required.
Please note that searches must include the following when submitted to be accepted for processing:-
- The correct fee (please see Land charges fees).
- if a search is submitted by a solicitor, cheques drawn on the solicitor's client account are requested, made out with the correct amount to Bedford Borough Council. Clients own cheques are not accepted as a method of payment.
- The correct address quoted together with an up to date scale plan in duplicate showing the extent and location of the land subject of search, clearly edged in red.
Personal searches
Appointments
Personal Search appointments are available from Monday to Friday 10am – 12pm and 2pm – 3.30pm.
These should be booked by telephone through Local Land Charges Team 24 hours in advance. Tel: 01234 221619.
NB: This is not a full search and may be considered inadequate by a lender or purchaser. The Council cannot guarantee the information contained in a personal search, which is compiled by private individuals solicitors or agents, and not by Council staff.
Access to information
To comply with Government guidance issued in January 2008 this Council is committed to provide access to all publicly available records held at the Council and all unrefined data required to complete Con29R Enquiries.
Some information is publicly available free of charge via the website www.bedford.gov.uk However, when there is a need to research the council records to provide the data, there will be a charge to cover administration costs.
Environmental Health
Public Registers are available free of charge to view. If a copy is required there will be a charge of £78.73ph.
Radon Gas information can be found on the public maps published by Health Protection Agency.
Building Control Information
Building Control Information is available from Building Control Department. The charge is £3.90 plus VAT per property search and the full Con29 answers is given. If the copies of the certificates/approvals are required the charge is £10.58 per copy.
Planning Decisions and applications
Public access to planning is available on the Councils website www.bedford.gov.uk.
Planning History is available on the computer in Planning Reception.
For copies of planning documents send e-mail to planning@bedford.gov.uk
Highways Information
Bedfordshire County Council hold highway information for searches and is available at a charge of £19.80.
For a complex Highway and road/traffic schemes enquiry please request this information in writing to Bedfordshire County Council, County Hall, Bedford MK42 9AP. The Charge is £37.15.
Cancelling a search
We regret that we cannot cancel searches once entered on the computer as work will have already commenced.
Turnaround times and submission of searches
During the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 we processed 3597 local search enquiries, 3183 were completed within our average response time of 3 working days. All searches were completed within our target - 10 working days. We have processed 1805 personal searches enquiries.
If you require the results of a standard search urgently, please contact us and we will try and assist where possible, without charging an expedited fee.
We guarantee that all standard searches will normally be responded to within 10 working days. See Operating Standards.
Local Land Charges Institute (ALLCO)
Bedford Borough Council belongs to the Association of Local Land Charges Officers, a member of the Local Land Charges Institute aiming to promote a quality service in this field for all.
Land Charges fees
Please note that on 1 April 2008 the Local Land Charges Search fees increased as follows:
The standard search fee is £139.00 for applications sent through the post or DX.
- Certificate of search £9.00
- Con 29 enquiry form £130.00
- Part II optional enquiries £ 19.00 per question
- Additional enquiries £ 19.00 per question
- Additional parcels £ 19.00 per parcel of land
The standard search fee is £116.00 for applications submitted electronically
- NLIS Certificate of search £ 6.00
- NLIS Con 29 enquiry form £ 110.00
Operating Standards
It is the aim of Local Land Charges to provide the service of quality we would wish to receive ourselves.
We aim to -
- meet our National Performance Indicators to process a Standard search in 10 working days
- meet our self-imposed target to process a Standard search in 3 working days
- endeavour to process ‘urgent’ Standard searches as quickly as possible
- provide a replacement Search, free of charge, if replies are found to be incorrect acknowledge customer complaints within 1 working day
- monitor our search performance continuously and give our customers the service they require
- for staff to be courteous and helpful, at all times
If you contact us by letter we aim to:
- acknowledge all correspondence within 1 working day
- supply copies of requested documents by return, on receipt of the required fee
If you contact us by telephone we aim to ensure:
- we answer your telephone call within 3 rings
- that we resolve your telephone enquiries the same day, or keep you informed of the progress if we need to consult with another party
- respond to recorded messages left on the Land Charges ‘mailbox’, within 1 working day
Contact us
Mrs.Jara Starosta,
Local Land Charges Section,
Bedford Borough Council,
Town Hall,
St Paul’s Square,
Bedford
MK40 1SJ.
Telephone No: 01234 221619 or Fax No: 01234 221689.
DX 5600 – Bedford 1.
Alternatively you may wish to visit our website at www.bedford.gov.uk/landcharges
We are open during the hours of 8.45 am to 5.15 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 8.45 to 4.45 p.m. on Friday
About usThe Local Land Charges team consists of 5 people; a Chief Local Land Charges Officer, a Senior Land Charges assistant and 3 Land Charges assistants. We research both the Land Charges register and the Planning records in order to complete your local search. Replies on other matters are compiled by various other departments within the authority.
How to complainIf you are in any way unhappy with the service you receive, please let us know. You should first contact the Chief Local Land Charges Officer, who will usually be able to solve your problem. This is called Stage 1 of the complaints procedure. If you are not satisfied with the answer you receive, this officer will give you guidance in the next step you can take.
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