Local Land Charges
Important changes from 26th April 2023
From Wednesday 26th April 2023 at 12:00 noon, we will no longer provide a local land charges search service. This also applies to members of the public and personal search agents visiting the Civic Centre, Pontypool.
After this date, our Local Land Charges Register will have migrated to HM Land Registry’s national register. You will be able to access a new digital service through the HM Land Registry Portal, Business Gateway and on HM Land Registry’s GOV.UK pages.
Torfaen County Borough Council will continue to provide replies to Con29 & Con29 (Optional) enquiries.
It is important to remember to only submit the required fee of £103.20 (residential)
For more information regarding Con29(O) Fees - please view our Land Charges Fees.
For more information visit GOV.UK
The Local Land Charges Section maintains the Local Land Charges Register and carries out all Official Searches of the Local Land Charges register for land / property within Torfaen. The maintenance of the register is a statutory obligation and exists to ensure information is available to prospective purchasers of property/land of any charges that would be enforceable on them. Torfaen’s Local Land Charges Register is maintained on a computer system. When a Local Search on a property is requested the system is interrogated and any registered charges are revealed.
On 4th July 2016 the new CON29 (2016 edition) was introduced. A local search consists of 3 parts: LLC1, CON29, and CON29(O) enquiries Form LLC1 – and is used to requisition an "Official" Local Search of the Local Land Charges register from the relevant authority. This reveals restrictions on the property which are binding on successive owners: eg. Financial Charges, Tree Preservation Orders and Enforcement Notices.
Form CON29 - Provides replies to the enquiries on a nationally agreed form. Responses to these enquiries are now mandatory for a property search. CON29(0) provides replies to optional enquiries. e.g. Road Proposals, Rights of Way, Hedgerow Notices and includes the question in relation to officially search the Common Land Register.
Torfaen provides an Official Search Certificate to authenticate that the research was undertaken by Local Authority staff. To obtain a full Local Authority search LLC1 & CON29 and Con29(O) enquiries forms must be submitted together with the relevant fee. Please note that The Welsh Assembly Government has advised Torfaen County Borough Council to revoke the fee (£11) for Personal Searches, therefore with effect from the 2nd August 2010, Torfaen County Borough Council no longer charge for personal searches.
Note: This service is not to be confused with the District Land Registry. If your enquiry relates to ownership of land it must be directed to Swansea District Land Registry, Tel: 01792 458877.
Torfaen has for many years undertaken its statutory obligation to maintain a Local Land Charges Register. The Council also offers a search service of the register to those searchers (individuals, legal firms and personal search agents) prepared to pay the appropriate fee(s). The clarification of Government Legislation has led to instruction being received from the National Assembly Wales (August 2010) that we can no longer lawfully charge search agents and individuals for personal searches.
The Council operates the Local Land Charges Service 3 days a week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays only and will process your request within 10 working days.
Who is the service for?
The Local Land Charges Service provides predominantly solicitors, conveyancers and their clients with information specific to the land or property they are interested in acquiring within the area.
The Local Land Charges section can also help with enquiries from the general public in respect of the above.
How do I access the Service?
Instruct your solicitor to act on your behalf, as part of the conveyancing process, or contact the Local Land Charges Section for advice.
Electronic searches can be obtained through the National Land Information Service (NLIS)
For a full list of fees please refer to the Land Charges Fees leaflet.
PLEASE NOTE: The Local Land Charges Team are no longer able to accept hard copy search applications. Please forward your search requests together with a clear OS plan to locallandchargesteam@torfaen.gov.uk. The Local Land Charges Team will only accept on-line payments so please view the Online Search and Payment Process of how to order and pay for Local Land Charge Searches.
Disclaimer
Whilst Torfaen County Borough Council makes every effort to keep the information on the Local Land Charges Register accurate, we make no warranty or representation, express or implied about its accuracy, completeness or appropriateness for a particular purpose. Thus you assume full responsibility for using the information supplied, and you understand and agree that neither Torfaen County Borough Council nor any of its employees are liable for any claim, loss or damage resulting from its use.
Last Modified: 20/09/2023
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