03.08 Charges for Property Search Services – A Consultation Paper

The above consultation paper sets out the Government’s proposals on future arrangements for Local Authority (LA) charges for property search services. The proposals are being put forward to implement the Office of Fair Trading’s (OFT) recommendations on charging in a recent market study report.

These proposals, in conjunction with the Communities and Local Government’s Guidance on access arrangements, aim to facilitate a level playing field between LAs and personal search companies in the delivery of property searches.

This document seeks views on:

LAs charging for ‘unrefined’ data on a cost recovery basis (supporting guidance is at Annex 6); How LAs might in the future charge for ‘refined’ property searches in the market in competition with personal searchers; Potential amendments to the Local Authority (Charges for Land Searches) Regulations 1994; The future electronic delivery of property searches; LAs charging for personal searches of the Local Land Charges Register (LLCR) on a cost recovery basis; and Whether the present fee for a personal search of the LLCR should be changed.

A summary of these proposals is contained in Part 3 of this paper with further information in subsequent parts.

The deadline for consultation responses is 18 April 2008.

The consultation can be accessed via the following Ministry of Justice (MoJ) website link: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/lacpss180108.htm

If you would like to add your views on this paper please email [email protected]