Anyone needing local land charge searches in the Liverpool City Council local authority area are now expected to acquire them from HM Land Registry, as opposed to from the council directly. The change was introduced on September 3rd 2018.
Liverpool is only the second city to take this step and transfer its local land charges (LLC) information to the newly established national register after the service was launched with Warwick District Council on the 11th of July.
Centralised and digitised
HM Land Registry is working closely this year with a number of UK local authorities to transfer local land charges information to a centralised, digital register. When all of the information has migrated over, anyone can search online instantly at GOV.UK using the Search for Local Land Charges service.
Business customers of HM Land Registry can use one of their regular search providers or their current portal and Business Gateway channels. Customers will be required to contact the local authority to submit any CON29 enquiries.
HM Land Registry is demonstrating a level of innovation in employing digital technology to provide simpler and quicker services to homebuyers.
Public access
While the information is now available for all to see (known as ‘public access’), including those with criminal intent, it isn’t at risk of a cyber attack because there’s no need to hack into a system in order to see it.
Public access is only one category of data that governments and, in fact, any organisation need to take into account when making information available. There are three types of data classification: public access data, confidential data, and internal use only data. Organisations need to be more vigilant when considering which category they’re in, especially when considering that there are a number of compliance requirements that they have no choice but to adhere to. They must comply with certain industry-specific and regulatory mandates, which may call for the classification of different data attributes.
Conveyancing made easier
HM Land Registry chief land registrar and chief executive Graham Farrant said that through the centralisation and digitisation of English local authorities, they are helping and improving conveyancing, as search results will be immediately available in an easy-to-read and standard format.
HM Land registry has said that their holistic, digital local land charges system will see search times reduce from “eight weeks to eight clicks”.
Revolutionary
Such data changes and updates can help local governments by taking work out of its hands. It’s essentially taken away manual work and benefited from technology to create a more automated system. It will also help the property market, both locally and nationally, along with helping property buyers looking to speed up the home buying process.
The allure and system of immediate search results will be revolutionary for the search process, as well as potentially speed up house completions, but a fully integrated system including all 326 local authorities could be seven years into the future. While the process of converting the LLC information paper and electronic versions such as digital systems and PDF is a lengthy process to implement, HMLR hopes that a fast, holistic system will help 125,000 home buyers by the year 2020.