Land Registry consults on role in providing local land charge searches
The Land Registry has launched a consultation on providing local land charge (LLC) searches, following a "successful" prototype run between May and November 2013.
Seven local authorities – Sefton, Liverpool, Denbighshire, Newark and Sherwood, Swindon, Havant and Watford – were involved in the prototype.
LLC searches are currently provided through 348 local authorities. Approximately 1.2m LLC searches are undertaken by conveyancers as part of residential and commercial property transactions and remortgages.
The consultation asks for views on extending the Land Registry’s powers to enable it to engage in new activities as follows:
- The provision of information and register services relating to land and other property in England and Wales;
- The provision of consultancy and advisory services relating to land and other property generally (rather than registration of land only) in England and Wales and elsewhere;
- The power to scope and bid for and develop such services.
It is also proposed that the Land Registry should have the power to set charges for new services and its powers to form, purchase or invest in companies should include activities carried out under wider powers.
The Land Registry said a change in legislation would be required if it were to provide certain property services.
“The new model anticipates a central role for LR as sole registering authority for LLCs and for LR to become a provider of LLC search results,” the consultation paper said.
The second part of the consultation considers the consequential relationship between local authorities as originating authorities and the Land Registry as the registering authority. The paper said the Land Registry would need certain enabling powers if the new approach were to be implemented.
It also said that there would need to be discussions with the Welsh Government and the National Assembly for Wales in relation to its devolved power to set fees in Wales.
Ed Lester, Chief Land Registrar and Chief Executive said: “There are huge variations in how local land charges information is held across local authorities, ranging from paper record cards and plans to scanned data and microfiche, resulting in variations in cost, quality and speed.
"Given the importance of the UK property market to our economy we are trying to make a real difference to conveyancing efficiency by providing easy and transparent access to vital land and property information which also supports the Government’s digital by default agenda for public services.”
A copy of the consultation can be viewed here.
The Land Registry said it had also explored – within the scope of the original prototype – using open standards for councils to publish Con 29 information. It will now work “with a range of stakeholders and the market” to develop a prototype for CON29 searches in the future.
A consultation in relation to CON29 information will be issued at a separate time.