We keep a register of local land charges in the Braintree district, which includes information about restrictions and fees attached to land and properties.
The register includes:
- conditional planning application decisions
- tree preservation orders
- Anglian water drainage agreements
- planning enforcement notices
- Essex County Council agreements
- conservation areas, listed buildings and ancient monuments
When you buy a property or piece of land, your Conveyance Solicitor must search the register for you. This will tell you about any restrictions or charges which may affect the property or land.
You can find out more about local land charges and searches on the land Data website.
Apply for a local land charges search
Your Conveyance Solicitor can submit a search application on your behalf. They can also choose to hire a personal search agent to do this for you.
Apply online
Your Conveyance Solicitor can apply online through the National Land Information Services.
By email
Your Conveyance Solicitor can also apply directly to us for a search. To apply for a search, your Conveyance Solicitor will need to email us:
- the relevant local land charge search form (LLC1 together with a CON29). Your solicitor will have these forms
- an up to date scaled site plan showing the extent and location of the land subject of search. The search must edge the site in red and show the surrounding roads named
After your Conveyance Solicitor has emailed us your application, we will contact you to make a card payment. You can find out what your search costs are on our Land Charges fees page.
To help you with your search, you can:
- read our CON29 default answers
- look at our list of useful local land charges contacts
You can find out what your search costs on our Land Charges fees page.
By post
We do not accept search requests by post.
Once we receive your application
Once we receive your search request, we will:
- process your search within 5 working days
- send your Conveyance Solicitor or Private Search Company the results by email
Cancellation and refunds of search requests
We will only cancel your search and refund if tell us within 24 hours of when we receive your application.
Personal search
You can ask us for a personal search.
We do not charge for personal searches as they are free of charge under the Environmental Information Regulations.
The results of your personal search will
- be unrefined data
- not be checked by one of our Local Land Charges Officers
You can send an email to request a Personal search to EIRrequest@braintree.gov.uk
We will email back your report within 5 working days.
You must include:
- your name, address and contact details
- the search location, including the address and nearby roads
- one copy of a location plan, with the search area clearly outlined in red
- to tell us you are asking for a personal search under the under the Environmental Information Regulations
