Stratford-on-Avon looks forward to more efficient property market thanks to digital register

10 May 2021 12:48 PM

Council joins lengthening list of local authorities transferring their local land charges data to HM Land Registry.

From today (Monday 10 May), anyone requiring local land charges (LLC) searches in the local authority area of Stratford-on-Avon District Council will need to get them from HM Land Registry rather than going directly to the council.

Phil Grafton, Head of Law and Governance at Stratford-on-Avon District Council, said:

We are pleased to have migrated our local land charges data onto HM Land Registry’s central, digital register. In doing so, we are providing confidence in the accuracy of the data and helping to improve the efficiency of buying and selling property in Stratford-on-Avon.

Allison Bradbury, Head of Local Land Charges Implementation at HM Land Registry, said:

We have worked together closely with Stratford-on-Avon District Council to migrate their complex dataset to our national, digital Local Land Charges Register. I am delighted that people buying property in Stratford 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 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 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 an overview of the service, watch our short video.

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