WIREDGOV

Property hunters in the area will now have access to instant local land charges search results, making it quicker and simpler to buy and sell.

As of yesterday (Monday 29 November), anyone requiring local land charges searches in the local authority area of Scarborough Borough Council will need to get them from HM Land Registry rather than going directly to the council.

Councillor Liz Colling, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Growth at Scarborough Borough Council, yesterday said:

Migrating our local land charges data to HM Land Registry will make it quicker and easier for people to access the information they require during the buying or selling process. We are delighted to be the first council in North Yorkshire to have made the transfer.

Mark Kelso, Programme Director for HM Land Registry’s Local Land Charges Programme, yesterday said:

We have worked together closely with Scarborough Borough Council to migrate their dataset to our national, digital Local Land Charges Register. I am really pleased that people buying property in Scarborough will now have access to instant local land charges search results, making it quicker and simpler to buy and sell property in the area.

Local land charges searches are normally required in the property-buying process. Most local land charges are restrictions or prohibitions on the use of the property such as planning permissions or listed building status. The local land charges search will reveal whether a property is subject to a charge which then informs a buyer’s decision to buy a property or parcel of land.

HM Land Registry is working in partnership with local authorities to migrate their local land charges data to a central, digital register as part of a phased approach. Once migrated, anyone will be able to get instant online search results using the Search for Local Land Charges service.

HM Land Registry’s business customers can use their existing portal and Business Gateway channels or their usual search providers to access local land charges data for those local authorities which have migrated.

Customers will need to continue to submit CON29 enquiries to the local authority.

For more information, read about the Local Land Charges Programme.