Local authority searches

The local authority search is one of the mandatory conveyancing searches you will need when buying a house with a mortgage.

In this article:

What are local authority searches

This search reviews all the information the local authority holds on the house you’re buying. It provides a detailed view of the property and some general information about its surrounding area. It covers a wide range of factors relevant to the property and how it may be used in the future, it will also reveal any financial liabilities that may fall on you as the new owner.

What do local authority searches include?

There are two parts to the local authority search, LLC1 and CON29, find out more about these below:

LLC1: Local Land Charges Register

This checks entries on the Local Land Charges Register about the property and the land it sits on to see if there are any legal restrictions related to your purchase.

It includes:

CON29: enquiries to local authorities

These enquiries reveal information about the local area that could affect the property being purchased.

It includes:

Optional local authority enquiries

There are some local authority searches which aren’t included as standard, these are CON2O. These can always be provided upon request, speak to your conveyancer if you need to discuss these any further.

Why do you need the local authority search?

From adjoining roads and paths to unapproved extensions and planning issues, the local authority search highlights things that may affect your property purchase. The findings could affect your desire to go ahead with your purchase or you may wish to reduce your offer, therefore it is important you are aware of any issues before becoming the legal owner.

How long do local authority searches last?

Local Authority searches are typically valid for six months. According to the UK Finance Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook for Conveyancers, these searches must be no more than six months old at the time of completion. If your house purchase takes longer than six months to complete, it's a good idea to get new searches done to ensure the information is current. 

The validity period of a local authority search can vary based on factors like the age of the property and the type of searches conducted. If you're concerned about the validity of any searches for your property purchase, check with your conveyancer. 

How long do local searches take to complete?

The Local Authority search is normally the slowest to carry out of all conveyancing searches. 

The government target for returning local searches in 2024 is a maximum of 10 working days, but the actual time can vary from council to council. Unlike other searches carried out online, local authority searches can be delayed by things like postal delivery, seasonal demand, and staffing levels at the local authority. 

Typically, a local authority search takes around two to four weeks, however it can range from two to eight weeks. Also, keep in mind that once these searches are completed, depending on what they found, additional searches might be needed. For example, if there's a new road being planned near the property, your conveyancer might want to investigate further. 

Which councils are the slowest to return local authority searches?

Recent turnaround times reported by Property Searches Direct in January 2024 revealed which councils were taking more than 25 working days to return local authority searches: 

To help speed up property searches, at My Home Move Conveyancing you pay for searches at the same time as your file opening fee to enable your conveyancer to request the local authority searches straight away, preventing unnecessary delays further into your home buying journey. 

How much to local authority searches cost?

Fees for searches can vary quite a bit as each local authority sets its own prices and uses different systems. To simplify things, here at My Home Move Conveyancing, we offer a set search pack fee of £399 (including VAT) that covers all property searches (except for coal and mine searches, which are charged separately if needed). 

If you want to, you can conduct a personal search yourself for free. However, we don't recommend this because local reports require specialist knowledge to do them correctly. 

View our example conveyancing quote here.

What's the difference between official and personal local searches? 

In the past, local authority searches were known as either personal or official. Today, personal searches are called regulated searches, while official searches are referred to as council searches. 

For an official/council search, your forms are sent directly to the local authority. Council staff from the Local Land Charges Register conduct the search, which is then signed and stamped by a council officer and returned to your conveyancer. 

On the other hand, personal/regulated local authority searches are done by an external agency which isn’t affiliated with the council. These searches are often quicker and cheaper than official ones and come with accuracy insurance and liability coverage for any errors. 

It’s worth noting some local authorities prioritise council conducted searches over privately ones. Therefore, it’s a good idea to call the council in the area where you're buying to check the wait times for both types of searches. 

However, it is normally the mortgage lender’s requirements that will dictate whether council or regulated search are used. Your conveyancer will check the UK Finance Handbook to determine which searches your lender accepts and ensure the accuracy of the search. 

If you’re buying your home without a mortgage, searches aren’t compulsory. However, your conveyancing solicitor is likely to recommend that you have at least a local authority search carried out.