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Buying a property in Woking has just got easier as Woking Borough Council will be transferring its local land charges (LLC) service to HM Land Registry on Thursday 21 March.
The national LLC Register allows users to search for land information online instantly, enabling buying decisions to be made earlier in the conveyancing process.
Most local land charges are restrictions or prohibitions on the use of property or land, such as planning permissions or listed building status.
A search of the national register will reveal whether a property is subject to a charge and enable the buyer to make an informed decision about the purchase.
Cllr Liam Lyons, Woking Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulation, said: “It is great news that Woking is among the early adopters of the new register which will provide a user-friendly, efficient, and more accurate way of searching online for properties.
“This partnership with HM Land Registry will make it easier for residents to research, plan and organise their future in Woking, all in one place online.”
The transition supports wider government priorities to make property transactions quicker, simpler, and cheaper. Anyone can access the service online.
Business customers can also access the service through their HM Land Registry portal account or Business Gateway.
Users of the national register can download a personal search free of charge or buy an official search for £15. This will allow unlimited repeat searches for six months. All information is delivered in a standard easy-to-read format, with geospatial maps.
When all local authorities in England and Wales transfer their local land charges service to the national register, it will contain more than 25 million charges. Data users will find it easier to search, merge and digest the information, while entrepreneurs and innovators will be able to develop new social and economic solutions that benefit the wider UK economy.