Full Land Charge Searches

Full official searches of the Land Charges Register are carried out usually by the solicitor who is acting on behalf of a prospective buyer, although anyone is entitled to do this. The purpose of a search is to disclose to the interested parties any financial claims and other council decision or restrictions that affect the property or parcel of land.

Please note that the Council and the Law Society recommend a full Local Land Charge Search is completed for all property transactions and that you do not rely solely on a Personal Search.

How to request a search

There are full instructions on the Local Land Charge Search forms. Your solicitor will have these forms or you can buy them from law stationers. Both the LLC1 and CON29 forms should be submitted at the same time if answers to both are required. We recommend that you do not use Royal Mail and use alternative methods of submitting your search if possible (ideally either DX or the government's search hub, NLIS), since in the past we have experienced delays with the postal service which have caused inconvenience to our customers.

All search requests must include:

  • the correct fee made payable to 'The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea'
  • a full and accurate address of the property to be searched - if it is a flat, the location of the floor within the building must be included in the description
  • two ordnance survey maps clearly marking the location of the property to be searched

Failure to include the above will result in your search being delayed.

We aim to return all standard official searches within 10 working days and do our best to return them sooner. We cannot return searches electronically due to the poor image quality that is sometimes experienced.

You are advised that ONE COPY only of all documentation will be provided. Should you require a duplicate copy of your requested search for any reason (including postal loss or delay), an additional charge of £32 will be payable.

Fees

Fee for a Local search on a property within Kensington and Chelsea (LLC1 and Part 1Con 29 enquiries)

£257.50

Each extra parcel of land

£44.00

Part II Enquiries (each)

£12.00

LLC1 Land Charges Register

£27.50

From 1 November 2010:

Personal search under Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) (20 day turnaround)

Expedited personal search (1-5 day turnaround)

 

Free

£25.00

Duplicate copies of searches

£32.00

Copies of Leasehold Scheme of Management Documents

£16.50

Registration of a charge in Part 11 of the register (light obstruction notices)

 £67.00

Filing a definitive certificate of the Lands Tribunal under rule 10(3) in Part 11 of the register (light obstruction charges)

 £2.50

Filing a judgement, order or application for the variation or cancellation of any entry in Part 11 of the register (light obstruction charges)

  £7.00

 

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

We do not answer solicitors’ additional enquiries in the land charges search section. Any questions that are not part of the official local authority search need to be sent to the appropriate department for direct reply to the client.

If the request is regarding planning proposals for any development in the immediate vicinity which might affect the property, this can be done by going to the planning search page.

Please note that once requested and paid for, Local Land Charge searches cannot be recalled and refunds will not be given once work has started.