Land searches
When you buy a house, your solicitor will make a search of the Council’s records to ensure that there are no hidden surprises such as:
- motorways at the back of your garden
- outstanding financial charges served on previous owners
- plans for development within close proximity to the property.
The search is made up of two standard forms; the LLC1 and CON29.
LLC1 Official Requisition of Search
The LLC1 is the Official Requisition of Search, which discloses the registered entries affecting the property. Entries may be conditional planning consents, conservation areas, tree preservation orders, council grants that may need to be repaid, agreement and identification of the property as a building of special architectural or historical interests.
All registered entries place some kind of restriction on the property or area that the property is situated within. This is not necessarily bad, as it is important to know information about your property, for example; that it’s been built or converted in accordance with the planning permission issued.
Since Thursday 27th April 2023, we no longer provide a Local Land Charges service (LLC1).
The Local Land Charges Register has been migrated to HM Land Registry and you can access this digital service using your Portal account, Business Gateway or on GOV.UK’s land and property search. We do continue to provide responses to CON29 enquiries.
CON29 Enquiries of the Local Authority
The CON 29 Enquiries of the Local Authority has predetermined questions that concern the following areas:
- Planning
- Highways
- Environmental Health
- Housing
- Building Control.
The CON29 form questions have many that are are always asked and a number that are predetermined yet are optional questions, for which an additional fee is charged. It is advisable to review these questions with your solicitor, before an application is made about the property you’re purchasing.
In some cases, it’s also possible to ask for an additional enquiry of your own. This would incur an additional fee. Some solicitors already have additional questions that they ask, such as information concerning recent planning applications on adjoining properties, but we’d recommend asking your solicitor for assistance.
You can also ask if particular roads or footpaths in the vicinity of your property are publicly maintained, for example a footpath to the rear or side of your property. Ask your solicitor to identify these roads and footpaths on your search.
After completing the CON29, the Local Land Charges department will return the completed forms and questions to your solicitor.
Find out how much it will cost.
Water searches
United Utilities look after the network of public sewers in Burnley.
If you are asking for a search to be undertaken or you are wanting to undertake a personal search, please contact your water company on 0870 7510101.