Conveyancing in Kettering - Local Land Charges

The Kettering Local Land Charges Unit has two main functions

1. To maintain a public register known as the Local Land Charges Register as required by the Local Land Charges Act 1975 thereby assisting in Conveyancing in Kettering 
2. To carry out property searches, responding to "Enquiries of Local Authorities". These are submitted by conveyancing solicitors and conveyancers as part of the conveyancing in Kettering procedure, from Home Information Pack (HIP) providers and directly to the public.

The service provided by the Kettering Local Land Charges team started around seventy years ago. This was to help protect people who were buying land and property, so that they, or future owners, were not caught out by obligations (what we call charges) that the Local Authority could enforce.

A local land charge describes a burden imposed on land and/or property which must be complied with by the owners/occupiers of said land/property. Local Authorities have a statutory duty to register these obligations or charges. The information is collected from a range of council departments so that requests for information can be given a full response.

Charges, which are registrable as Local Land Charges in Kettering include:

• Planning Conditions imposed in planning permissions
• Conservation areas in Kettering 
• Listed Buildings  
• Enforcement notices 
• Tree preservation orders 
• Financial chargese.g. for work carried in default such as drainage repairs
• Notices served under various Acts relating to, Building, Environment, Highways, Housing, Planning and Water Authorities

These Local charges and obligations are enforceable against purchasers of the land affected and can range from planning history to highway status and outstanding environmental health notices to building control notices or outstanding works.

Maintenance of the Land Charges Register ensures that these are recorded. It is an important service to the conveyancing process .

An originating authority notifies Local Land Charges when to register a local land charge. 

Examples of originating authorities include:

• Highways Agency
• English Heritage 
• Environment Agencies 
• Local and Water Authorities