Charges for property searches

How we set our fees for Land Charges searches

The Local Authorities (England) (Charges for Property Searches) Regulations 2008 Section 9(1) requires the local authority to publish a statement setting out:

  1. estimates the local authority has made under regulation 6(2) (estimates of total cost and estimate of numbers of requests) in respect of the unit charge for the following financial year
  2. basis for those estimates
  3. amount of the unit charge it proposes for the following financial year
Financial year 2024 to 2025

2024/25 Final Costs

Type of cost Cost
Staff Costs £229,744
Overheads £319,335
Total Cost of Service £549,078

Total number of searches including 'itemised-part' searches (2024/25) = 11,009

Unit cost = £50.00

Total Income = £582,632

Cost Recovery 2024/25 = +£33,554 (Over Recovery)

Previous years

Below are the historic figures and information for previous financial years, stating actual costs and income received for the service.

2023/24 Final Costs

Type of cost Cost
Staff Costs £240,947
Overheads £231,813
Other costs (inc IT) £90,000
Total Cost of Service £562,760

Total number of searches including 'itemised-part' searches (2023/24) = 10,040

Unit cost = £47.00

Total Income = £485,904

Cost Recovery 2023/24 = -£76,856.17 (Under-recovery)

2022/23 Final Costs

Type of cost Cost
Staff Costs £269,462
Overheads £296,873
Other costs (inc IT) £90,000
Total Cost of Service £656,335

Total number of searches including 'itemised-part' searches (2022/23) = 11,335

Unit cost per search = £42.00

Total Income = £534,872

Cost Recovery 2022/23 = -£121,463 (Under-recovery)

2021/22 Final Costs

Type of cost Cost
Staff Costs £267,951
Overheads £285,098
Other costs (inc IT) £90,000
Total Cost of Service £643,049

Total number of searches including 'itemised-part' searches (2021/22) = 15,229

Unit cost per search = £41.00

Total Income = £647,262

Cost Recovery 2021/22 = £4,213 (Over-recovery)