The Local Land Charges Section carries out all official searches covered by the Local Land Charges Act 1975. These searches guarantee comprehensive replies to the official LLC1 and CON29 enquiries.

The Law Society, which regulates solicitors, encourages the use of official searches and considers that alternative personal searches of the statutory register, disclosing only limited information, should only be undertaken with the approval of the client when time does not permit official searches.

LLC1 Form

The LLC1 form is a requisition for an Official Certificate of Search of the Local Land Charges Register. This requests information from the Register about all local land charges registered against a property in the Tendring District.

CON 29 Form

This is a list of standard enquiries to a local authority which have been agreed between the Law Society and Local Government Associations. It contains a list of 16 set questions and 18 optional enquiries. The forms list a wealth of queries which can be addressed to local authorities as to Town and Country Planning provisions, etc.

How much is a Search and how long will it take?

Full Search - £93.00

Search of Register - £21.00

Part II Enquiries - £10.00 (£20 for Question 22)

Additional Enquiries - £10.00

Extra parcels - £12.00 (LLCI only - £1.00)

Copy Search - £13.00

Our aim is to complete standard searches, including those received from the NLIS hub, within 5 working days of the date of acceptance.

Electronic Searches

The National Land Information Service (NLIS) is a joint initiative between Central and Local Government to provide an on-line one-stop shop that will deliver land and property related information. It will bring together information currently held by many different organisations. For further information see http://www.nlis.org.uk/.

Tendring District Council is now joined with NLIS at Level 2 and is moving towards the final Level 3. This means that searches are now received from NLIS electronically which constitutes a considerable time saving. We are currently in the process of computerising our records, which when completed, will enable us to proceed to Level 3, resulting in complete electronic processing. The Solicitor selects the type of search required at the click of a button and as plans are online, this saves time and post or DX costs.

Personal Searches

Any member of the public can make a search of the Local Land Charges Register only. This information can be viewed by the public (by appointment only, made 24 hours in advance, on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday morning between 9.00 am and 12.00 noon) on payment of a fee of £11.00. Please phone between 2-3pm for appointments on 01255 686577.

Some Solicitors use Personal Agency Searches. These are carried out by agencies that inspect public registers and consult other areas of information to provide their own search responses. The Personal Search Agency does not have full access to all Council information that may be relevant to your search. Also, the Council cannot guarantee responses given by Personal Search Agencies.

Cancellation of Searches

Searches can only be cancelled and, your fee returned, if the Local Land Charges Office is notified before 12.00 noon on the day the search is received. After that time, we regret that no refund can be given.

Useful Contacts

The Local Land Charges Office:
Tendring District Council
88-90 Pier Avenue
Clacton on Sea
Essex CO15 1TN
DX 34660 CLACTON ON SEA
Tel: (01255) 686577
Email: lcharges@tendringdc.gov.uk

Drainage enquiries are answered at:
The Geodesys Property Information Centre
P.O. Box 70
Spalding PE11 1DB
Tel: 01480 323889

Commons Registration Searches are answered by Essex Council at:
Corporate Services
P O Box 11
County Hall
Duke Street
CHELMSFORD
Essex CM1 1LX
DX 123300 CHELMSFORD 7
Tel: 0845 7 430 430

Land Ownership Enquiries should be addressed to the Peterborough District Land Registry at:
Land Registry
Touthill Close
City Road
PETERBOROUGH PE1 1XN
Tel: 01733 288288