Turnaround time - updated 5 March

We are still receiving significant volumes of searches whilst ongoing improvements continue with our new single IT system. However, our much-improved average working day response times from date of submission are:

  • East, North, West, Weymouth & Portland and Purbeck combined areas: average 10 working days

The team will continue their efforts to maintain the improved response times and will make use of the new system to make further improvements where possible.

Local land charges search - information

When you buy a property or piece of land, it is important that a local land charges search is carried out to make sure that there are no issues affecting the land or property.

A local land charge can be a financial claim, restriction, decision or information which may affect a particular property or area of land i.e. planning decisions, financial amounts owed.

A full search is made up of two parts; LLC1 and CON29

  • LLC1 – contains the registerable charges
  • CON29 – contains information about road schemes, planning and building control history as well as any legal notices that may affect the property.

Solicitors would normally contact us to carry out the search and we will collate the information together from different departments and bring it together into one search. 

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government have published guides to buying and selling a home in England and Wales:

How to submit a search

Local land search requests need to be raised by email to locallandcharges@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Your email must include:

  • a full postal address for us to search for
  • a copy of an up to date location plan. This should show the boundaries of the property or land, clearly marked, in red

Information for solicitors and conveyancers - we are connected to the National Land Information Service (NLIS) at level 3.

Cancellations

We regret searches can only be cancelled on the day of receipt, providing it has not already been entered onto our system. After this time work will have started on your application.

Fees

Fees from April 2024 to 31 March 2025

Search type Fee (£) VAT (£) Total (£)
LLC (per search 41 0 41
CON29 (per search) 89 17.80 106.80
LLC & CON29 (full search) 130 17.80 147.80
Optional CON29O (per question) 17 3.40 20.40
Solicitors own questions (per question) 22 4.40 26.40
Extra parcel(s) of land – LLC1 (per additional parcel of land)  7 0 7
Extra parcel(s) of land – CON29 (per additional parcel of land)  11 2.20 13.20

 

Costs of the local land charge service

We have to publish information about the cost of the local land charge service and the income received. Find out more about our yearly costs.

Contacts

For property ownership queries contact the HM Land Registry

Our customers are important, as are our staff

We are committed to serving you with both courtesy and respect. If you need to contact us we would request that you treat our staff in the same manner. We will report abusive behaviour.

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