Search Information

Suffolk’s Local Authorities are working in partnership to provide accurate results combined with fast response times to Search enquiries.

Local Authorities highways are not permitted to profit from selling Local Land Charges information and thus you are guaranteed a competitive price.

With us you will have the assurance that trained staff are dealing with your request and that the search result is a trusted legal document.

Local Land Charges were the creation of the 1925 Land Charges Act and were designed to ensure that purchasers of land or property were not caught unawares by obligations and restrictions enforceable against successive owners of the property by the Local Authority under the terms of the various statutes.
 

The Council has a statutory duty to maintain the Local Land Charges Register, together with all the supporting documentation, in accordance with the Land Charges Act and the Land Charges Rules. The Registers are 'Public' and may be inspected for free at the appropriate council offices.

As anyone who has ever bought a house or property will know, an important part of the conveyancing process is to make a Local Authority search. Mortgage lenders may insist upon having an Official Search undertaken by the Local Authority.

The Search is normally carried out by your Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer. The Local Land Charges search includes questions which you will need to know the answers to before you purchase a property. For instance the search reveals whether the Council maintains the highway outside your house, recent planning details for the property and amongst other things whether the property is a Listed Building or within a Conservation Area.

What is a Local Land Charge?

A restriction or prohibition on a particular parcel or parcels of land (with or without buildings), either to secure the payment of a sum of money, or to limit the use (in the widest sense) to which the land may be put.

A charge expressly made a Local Land Charge by statute.

Examples of such are:-

• Tree Preservation Orders
• Planning Agreements
• Improvement Grants
• Conservation Areas
• Listed Buildings

LLC1 Certificate - The LLC1 form is a statutory document and reveals any planning, environmental, financial or highway restrictions recorded on the property.

Form CON 29R Enquiries of Local Authority (2007) - The CON29R form is a list of questions which have been compiled by the Law Society, the Association of District Councils, the Association of Local Land Charges Officers and various other agencies in consultation.

The replies provide information, including any pending restrictions for the use of the land, which is very useful information when determining the purchase of a property. A fee is levied for responding to these enquiries – see fees.

Examples of information revealed in a CON 29R form as follows:-

• Development Plans
• Maintenance of Roads
• Road Schemes
• Outstanding Notices

Additional Enquiries

Additional enquiries are those questions not covered by the CON29R form some which your Solicitor may wish to ask on your behalf. An additional fee is payable for each additional question – see fees

Drainage Questions and Water Searches

All water searches for Suffolk are dealt with by Geodesys Limited (on behalf of Anglian Water). Please visit the Geodesys website (new window).

Commons and Village Green Enquiries

An official search of the Registers of Commons and Village Greens should be carried out by completing Optional Question 22 on CON29O form, which can be requested online through HIGHWAYS SEARCHES (Opens in a new window) or sent to Suffolk County Council at DX 87951 Ipswich (or Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road Ipswich IP1 2BX), together with the fee of £10.

The Register of Common Land and Town or Village Greens are available for public inspection with reasonable notice during office hours.  Please telephone 01473 264190 to make an appointment.

If copies of the Register entries are required, these can be supplied for an administration fee to cover the cost of photocopying.  For details telephone 01473 264190 or email SuffolkCounty@SuffolkSearches.co.uk

Fire Service - Notice for Prospective Buyers

The Fire Service issue fire service enforcement notices on commercial properties. This is part of new legislation that affects properties that have sleeping accommodation, for example; Pubs, Hotels, Old People homes, etc…

For further information please visit the Fire Safety website.