Request a search on a property or land

When you buy a house or land your solicitor will usually do several checks. These checks are to make sure that there are no problems:

• that might restrict your use of the property or land
• that could mean you have to pay money as the owner of the property

One of those checks will include a local land charges search. While this is normally done by your solicitor for you, it can also be done by you as a ‘personal search’.

The local land charges search will include:

• the planning history of the site and any queries about its use
• any planning policies which affect the site
• any developments directly affecting the site

Searches can be carried out by:

• sending us a completed local land charges (LLC1) form
• a personal search of the Local Land Charges Register

When completing an SDLT1 form, you should still use the previous local authority codes that you entered on returns. These codes will still be accepted by their systems.