Professional firms in Solihull urged to participate in Land Registry consultation

SOLIHULL Council has called on law firms, conveyancers and other professional services firms in the borough to participate in the Land Registry consultation.

Land Charges – searches into a property’s history – take place when a property is changing hands, usually by solicitors acting on behalf of the purchasers.

Currently land charges are submitted to the council and its officers provide information about planning applications, building regulation applications, enforcement activity, conditions or other charges on the property or land being sold.

The proposal is for the Land Registry to seek wider powers and become sole registering authority for Local Land Charges and a provider of Local Land Charge searches.

Cllr Ian Courts, cabinet member for Economic Development, said: “The Land Registry proposals have huge implications for the local land charges service we currently provide.  The proposals to centralise the service risk replacing an efficient, knowledgeable and responsive local service with a long distance anonymous one.    

“We know from talking to our customers that our service is well-respected and cost effective.  I urge those who use our service or who are interested in keeping such services locally based to take part in the consultation and make their views known.”

The consultation ends on March 9, 2014 and further details can be found at http://consultations.landregistry.gov.uk/consult.ti/LLC1/consultationHome