Carlisle City Council becomes latest local authority to join central Local Land Charges Register

21 Apr 2020 03:25 PM

HM Land Registry’s digital Local Land Charges Register continues to grow, enabling the digital transformation of homebuying.

From today (Tuesday 21 April) anyone requiring Local Land Charges (LLC1) searches in the local authority area of Carlisle City Council will need to get them from HM Land Registry rather than going directly to the council.

Karina Singh, Director of Transformation at HM Land Registry, said:

Everyone will now have instant, online access to local land charges search results in Carlisle, meaning it will be quicker and simpler to buy and sell property across the area. It is even more important at this current time that public services can be accessed digitally and instantly where possible and we are pleased to be able to contribute to that through the central Local Land Charges Register.

Councillor Gareth Ellis, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance, Governance and Resources at Carlisle City Council, said:

We are pleased to have worked with HM Land Registry to transform our paper-based LLC1 records – made up of tens of thousands of charges, including 51 charges affecting Hadrian’s Wall alone – into a single, digital service. Once again, Carlisle is leading the way and striving to enhance the services we offer to the people we serve within our district and beyond. By updating, transforming and migrating our local land charges data to the central register, we have ensured that all those buying or selling, leasing or remortgaging property across Carlisle have instant access to our local land charges data. Our aim throughout has been, and continues to be, helping our residents and businesses to conduct their property transactions smoothly and efficiently.

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 buildings. 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 a number of local authorities in England 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 an overview of the service, watch our short video.

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