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Local land charges, drainage enquiries and Land Registry

Introduction

Moving home can be one of the most stressful experiences in our lives.

The Local Land Charges Section for Adur District Council is part of the Legal and Democratic Services Department based at Worthing Borough Council and is a joint service provided to both Adur and Worthing districts. We offer a quick, efficient and reliable service to help make your home moving experience as stress-free as possible.

We provide an important service to members of the public who are purchasing homes and property. The section collates information from a range of council departments at Worthing Borough Council and Adur District Council to compile replies to search enquiries, and ensure that search requests are returned as promptly as possible, so minimizing delays in the house buying process.

The council has a statutory duty under the Local Land Charges Act 1975 to maintain an accurate and up-to-date Register of Local Land Charges affecting land and property in the district and provide replies to Enquiries of the CON29R (Required) and CON29O (Optional) forms. Details of any charges that are registered to land and property are listed in the District Council’s Local Land Charges Register.

A Local Land Charge is a restriction or prohibition imposed on a particular piece of land either to secure the payment of a sum of money, or to limit the use of the land. This charge is binding on successive owners and occupiers of the land. The object of the search is to uncover any restrictions or legal obligations against the site. This is to ensure that purchasers of land are not caught unawares by obligations enforceable against successive owners or occupiers of the land by local authorities under the terms of the various statutes.

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Joint working of Adur and Worthing Local Land Charges service

Adur and Worthing's Local Land Charges services are now working together in partnership, you can find out more from the two PDF documents here:

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Who can commission a local authority search?

Anyone may commission a Local Authority search by submitting the correct forms, together with the required fee by post or DX. Searches may also be submitted electronically, via the NLIS hub. Alternatively, a personal search of our register may be undertaken. For further information, please see the relevant sections below.

Submitting a search

We are able to process Postal, DX, NLIS and Personal Searches. A site plan, preferably Ordnance Survey, clearly defining the curtilage of the area to be searched against may also be required. A member of the Local Land Charges Team will contact you, if a plan is required.

What’s new ... Online Local Authority Searches for Worthing and Adur

As from 11 January 2010, you will be able to order your Worthing and Adur searches Online, please use the link below :

Payment for Online Search requests should be made by cheque, on receipt of validation email by the Local Land Charges Section.

Future developments will include the provision of an online payment facility.

Watch this space …

Required forms

Each search request form (LLC1, CON29R or CON29O) is a stand alone document and can be submitted in any combination, along with the correct fee. For Postal and DX searches, please submit the correct forms. If you wish to check the fee before submission, please contact us on 01903 221038 OR 221490 or see Current Fees below.

Forms LLC1 and CON29R and CON29O can be purchased from any Law Stationers or from the internet www.oyezformslink.co.uk. Costs for online purchase (as at 06/08/2008) are listed as:

  • LLC1 £2.35 each
  • CON29R £3.65 each
  • CON29O £3.65 each

These forms are currently available by post only - no PDF copies online.

Worthing Borough Council is fully accountable for the full, authenticated and guaranteed information supplied in response to forms LLC1, CON29R and CON29O and will respond to any follow-up enquiries arising only from an official search if official search number is given.

Do you have all the information to make an informed decision?

Some questions you may wish to ask your solicitor to help you make an informed decision as to whether you have all the information you need, before you go ahead with your property purchase:

  • Where did the search information come from?
  • If the local authority did not complete the search, have all of the required enquiries been answered fully?
  • Has insurance been used? If so, is the cover adequate and does it cover you after the date of completion?
  • How can any follow up queries regarding the search be raised?

Any queries arising from other search providers compiling their own CON29R responses must be referred back to that provider.

National Land Information Service (NLIS)

NLIS is the electronic way of sending and receiving search requests. It was introduced in February 2001, and an increasing number of applicants are now using this method of searching. Worthing and Adur are linked at Level 3 (the highest level) to the NLIS hub and can receive and return searches electronically (including payment). For further information please contact NLIS on 08720 450 450. To contact a channel provider for this service please go to National Land Information Service website (www.nlis.org.uk).

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Current fees

These are the local land charge fees from 1st April 2009 (the same as 1st April 2007's costs) :

  • LLC1 only Search (By DX or Post) £12.00
  • LLC1 only (Electronic) £10.00
  • Basic Search (LLC1 + CON29R Enquiries) (By DX or Post) £133.00
  • Basic Search (LLC1 + CON29R Enquiries) (Electronic) £131.00
  • CON29O Enquiries (Optional) £7.00 each
  • Part III Enquiries (Additional) £10.00 each
  • Additional Parcel £6.00 each
  • Additional Parcel for Personal Search or LLCI only £1.00 each
  • Personal Search £22.00

Please note that for a basic search the fee includes the sum of £15.00 payable to West Sussex County Council as Highways Department.

Where a CON29O Form is submitted separately, i.e. not as part of a full basic search, this will incur an additional one off fee of £12.20. The cost of each Optional Enquiry on the form remains the same at £7 each. Should Optional (Highway) Enquiries Nos. 4, 5 and 22 be requested, an additional fee of £15, on top of the above fees will be required.

If you are unsure of how parcels of land are calculated, please do not hesitate to contact the Local Land Charges Section.

Please make cheques payable to :

  • 'Adur District Council' if the search relates to Adur
    or
  • 'Worthing Borough Council' if the search relates to Worthing

Client cheques will be accepted, however, these need to be indemnified by the submitter of the search request.

See also : Highway, footpath and common search enquiries fees

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Turnaround times

We are currently completing LLC1 and CON29R searches within 2 working days for Worthing searches and 3-5 working days for Adur searches. Turnaround times are monitored on a weekly basis and reported to the Legal Services Manager. Should you wish to find out how your search is progressing, please do not hesitate to contact us with details of who submitted the search and the address of the property/land to be searched against. On request, searches can be returned electronically where an e-mail address is supplied.

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Other useful information

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Access and charging arrangements for property information

Statutory and Public Registers containing Planning and Building Control, and Environmental Health information can be viewed through the use of the Information Computers in the self service zone at the Civic Centre.

For details of access and charges, where applicable, for the obtaining of raw property information, please see the :

For Worthing enquiries see :

See also :

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Personal search guidelines

Any person may carry out a personal search of the Local Land Charges Register, which is held in electronic format, upon payment of the prescribed fee, currently £22.

Personal searches are carried out by appointment, in the Local Land Charges Section at the Town Hall, with a minimum of 24 hours notice during reasonable office hours. Please see our contact details page for full Local Land Charges contact details.

In accordance with guidance produced by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, a copy of which may be inspected on request, appointments will generally be available on a “first come, first served” basis. If the number of personal search requests and/or other workload pressures on the Local Land Charges Section mean that temporary restrictions need to be placed on the number of personal searches that can be dealt with, personal searchers will be informed of the need for this in writing. If a plan is requested by the Local Land Charges team, this will need to be emailed to the section 24 hours prior to the arranged appointment. (Local Land Charges contact details)

The Council will require the following information:

  • The name of the person or Company carrying out the personal search and telephone number;
  • The address of the property (or description of the area of land) against which the personal search is to be made;
  • If requested, a site plan (preferably Ordnance Survey) clearly defining the curtilage of the area to be searched against.
  • PLEASE NOTE: It is the responsibility of the personal searcher to correctly identify the property (or area of land) that the personal search is carried out against.

The Local Land Charges Register only includes planning permissions that have been approved with conditions from 1 August 1977 (Rule 7 of the Local Land Charges Rules 1977). The Local Land Charges Register also includes entries such as Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas, Tree Preservation Orders etc.

Reference may also be made to the Planning Register for full planning history. Other public registers maintained by the Authority may also be inspected, however, these do not form an integral part of the personal search process.

Highway information

Please note that highway information is available on West Sussex County Council website.

Personal search

A personal search involves an individual attending the council premises where a copy of the information shown on the Local Land Charges Register will be given. Please see Personal Search Guidelines for further details.

Please also see the Personal Search note for joint working of Adur and Worthing Local Land Charges service.

A personal search will not procure answers to the enquiries on the CON29R form from the Local Land Charges Section. Such enquiries can only be answered by the Local Land Charges Section in the context of a full search, which will require the submission of the correct forms, correct fee and plan (if necessary).

For details of access and charges, for the obtaining of property information, please see :

Council Statutory Registers open for public inspection

Listed below are some other Council statutory registers open for public inspection during reasonable office hours (An appointment may be necessary and a charge levied for the provision of any additional information.) These do not form part of the personal search.

Held at West Sussex County Council (WSCC)

From 6th October 2006, an on-line search will be available giving the Con29 highway replies for the cost of £15 per search, for this please visit www2.westsussex.gov.uk/landcharges. This does not include extent of adopted highway. Please contact Local Land Charges at WSCC on 01243 777190 for further information, and to set up an account with them.

Held at Worthing Borough Council (Portland House)

Abbreviations: (BC) is Building Control, (DC) is Development Control and (EH) is Environmental Health.

  • Public Sewer Maps (BC)
  • S.56 Building Act Register (BC)
  • Register of Initial Notices (BC)
  • Register of Planning Applications/Decisions (DC)
  • Contaminated Land (EH)
  • Environmental Protection Act Part 1 (EH)
  • Integrated Pollution Control and Local Authority Air Pollution Control - Authorisation of Processes (EH)
  • Radioactive Substance (EH)
  • Food Premises (£200 per copy) (EH)
  • Environmental and Safety Information Act (No Copies) (EH)
  • Hazardous Substances Register (DC)
  • Noise Abatement Zones (EH)

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Highway, footpath and common search enquiries

All highway enquiries should be directed to:

Please Note

  • A Commons Registration Search is now part of the CON29O Form as Q.22. Please send this Enquiry to Worthing Borough Council.
  • Where a CON29O Form is submitted separately, i.e. not as part of a full basic search, this will incur an additional one off fee of £12.20. The cost of each Optional Enquiry on the form remains the same at £7 each. Should Optional (Highway) Enquiries Nos. 4, 5 and 22 be requested, an additional fee of £15, on top of the above fees will be required.
  • As from 6th October 2006, an on-line search will be available giving the Con29 highway replies for the cost of £15 per search. This does not include extent of adopted highway. Please contact Local Land Charges at WSCC for further information on 01243 777190.

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Drainage enquiries

All drainage enquiries should be directed to :

See also on our website :

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Land Registry

Land Registry (the Government Department responsible for registering land and property) hold records on the title and ownership or interest in land. Adur District is covered by the Portsmouth Office of the Land Registry. Any Enquiries relating to Land Registry for the Adur or Worthing area should be directed to:

  • Land Registry,
    Portsmouth Office,
    St Andrews Court,
    St Michaels Road,
    Portsmouth,
    Hampshire,
    PO1 2JH,
    DX 83550
    Portsmouth (2)
    Telephone: (023) 9276 8888
    Fax: (023) 9276 8768 GTN: 1454
  • or visit the Land Registry website (www1.landregistry.gov.uk)

You can also find out on-line who owns a particular property and how much was paid for it by using the new Land Registry on-line service. The site will also allow you to see a property's boundaries and any restrictions put on its use. Their website makes a small charge for this service which is payable on-line. For more information please refer to the :

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Other West Sussex authority website links

Contact details for the relevant authorities (phone numbers and e-mail addresses etc) are available on the external website links below :

 

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Contact details :

See main body of page - or

Local Land Charges Section,
Adur District Council,
Town Hall,
Chapel Road,
Worthing,
West Sussex,
BN11 1HA
Adur : 01903 221490
Worthing : 01903 221038
Fax : 01903 221039
Send Land Charges an e-mail
website : www.adur.gov.uk

DX Addresses :
Adur District Council
DX 59765
Shoreham-by-Sea

Worthing Borough Council
DX 142963 Worthing 10

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Frequently asked questions :

See the land charges FAQs :

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Related sections on this website :

See main body of page - also :

Planning :

Building Control :

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Related external websites :

See main body of page :

See also :
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© Adur District Council : Page created : SJC : 1 November, 2005 : Last updated : SJC : 3 February, 2010

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