Local Land Charges Service

Welcome to the pages of Fareham Borough Council's Local Land Charges. Below you will find a guide to our service which we hope will answer your query. Please select the appropriate heading for more information.

What is a Local Land Charges Search?

Buying a property, be it a house, flat, shop or a plot of land, is a big commitment - probably the most expensive you will ever make. It is vital to get as wide a picture as possible of all factors which may affect your use and enjoyment of the property and this is where the Land Charges Section fits in. Part of the process will involve a request for a local search at the Council, usually submitted by your solicitor or licensed conveyancer and is required by banks or building societies when securing a mortgage. A basic search consists of 2 parts, namely a search of the statutory Local Land Charges Register and replies to the Con 29 enquiries.

The Local Land Charges Register

This register will show any entries or 'charges' which are binding on successive owners or occupiers of land or property and which might restrict its use or enjoyment. Examples are Tree Preservation Orders, Planning Agreements, Listed Buildings and conditions imposed in a Planning Permission.

Con 29 Enquiries

This form consists of a number of standard questions which might pick up building regulation applications, nearby road or rail schemes, proposed traffic schemes or if the Council maintains the road on which the house abuts, to name a few. The form also has a number of optional enquiries for which an extra fee is payable. This might show if there is a public footpath passing over or abutting the property, or if it is in an area of outstanding natural beauty or mineral consultation area.

A Common Misconception

It is a widely held view that a search will reveal proposals on nearby or adjacent land or properties, but this is not true; a search is only concerned with the property or land being searched. The only exception is it will show proposed road and rail schemes within 200 metres of the property. If you are concerned about possible development on adjacent land or property, for a small additional fee, your solicitor can enquire about it on the search.

How long will a search take?

Once the search is received, turnaround is normally around 3-5 working days, even at times of peak demand. This is much quicker than the 10 days recommended by the Local Government Association's Voluntary Code of Practice and currently all searches are completed within this target.

What if the search is urgent?

If a search is urgent, please contact us and we will do our best to meet your deadline. We can fax back the search result if required, or if you submitted the search via NLIS, we can send it back electronically. There is no extra charge for this service.

Is a plan required?

Two copies of the plan are required.

Not sure whose area the search is in?

If you have a Land Registry plan, the Council's area is normally shown at the top of the page.
Alternatively, contact the Land Charges section who will try and help.

Who does the Drainage search?

Southern Water carry out drainage searches for the Fareham area. They can be contacted at Southern Water Services Ltd., Southern House, Capstone Road, Chatham, Kent ME5 7QA
DX 400450 Chatham 5
Tel: 01634 824100
www.southernwater.co.uk (this is an external hyperlink)

Commons Registration Searches

These should be submitted to Fareham Borough Council, for the attention of Land Charges, using form CON29O. The fee is £22.00.

Ownership of Land or Property / Boundaries

The Council does not keep details of private land ownership. Enquiries should be directed to The Weymouth District Land Registry, Melcombe Court, 1 Cumberland Drive, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9TT.
DX 8799 Weymouth 2
Tel: 01305 363636
www.landregisteronline.gov.uk (this is an external hyperlink)

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Helpful Tips

If you need to know the status of adjoining roads or accessways, complete Box C on form Con 29 Part I.

Feedback

We welcome your comments or suggestions on how to improve our service to you. Please feel free to get in touch with us using the contact details above, or alternatively, for more information please contact the Local Land Charges Officer in the Department of Legal and Democratic Services on tel: 01329 236100 or by e-mail to: landsearches@fareham.gov.uk.

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