Apply for a local land charges search
You can make a local land charges search application yourself, or employ a solicitor or private personal search agent to help you.
When you apply for a local land charges search, you need to:
- set up or log into an account
- submit the correct application form and supporting documents
- pay the correct fee when you submit your application
To apply for a local land charges search, you will need:
- your name, address and contact details
- the search location, including the address and nearby roads
- one copy of a location plan, with the search area clearly outlined in red (the plan must be less than 4MB)
- details of the search you need
- to pay the correct fee
Once we receive your search request, we will:
- acknowledge it within five working days
- process your search in 20 working days
-
notify you by email once we have completed it
You can also contact NLIS (National Land Information Service) to carry out the search for you. Their services allow you to request and pay for a search online, and handle the process for you. They connect law firms, conveyancers and data providers such as the Land Registry and local authority local land charges registries.
Submissions with the status of pending
When you submit a land charges application, you will normally see the status of ‘submitted’, meaning we have successfully received your application.
However, in some cases, you may see a status of ‘pending’. This means that we have not received your application, as the location plan is too big (the maximum is 4mb).
If you see this status, you need to re-apply and upload a smaller file with your application, otherwise we will not receive your application.
Cancellation and refunds of search requests
We can't refund your fee once we have accepted and registered your request.
Personal searches
To request a personal search, you will need to:
- register and create an account on Public Access for Land Charges
- submit a request form
- one copy of a location plan, with the search area clearly outlined in red (the plan must be less than 4MB)
Once we receive your search request, we will:
- acknowledge it within five working days
- process your search in 20 working days
- notify you by email once we have completed it
If you employ a personal search company to help you, we will not charge them to complete your search. However, they may charge you.
If you carry out a personal search, you can also inspect our public registers online.
When you carry out a personal search, you need to consider asking:
- Essex County Council Legal Services about common land registration
- Essex County Council’s Highways Authority about any highways questions
- Geodesys about any drainage questions, including Anglian Water land
- Land Registry about land ownership and titles
- the National Grid about gas pipelines