Important Information - HMLR Migration
Our Local Land Charges Register is in the final stages of HMLR Migration. We are due to Go-Live in early 2026. Further information and Go-Live date will be posted here as soon as it becomes available.
Land charges
Finding out about matters such as local proposals, planning and environmental health issues.
The Local Land Charges Section is run within the Legal Section at the Town Hall, Darlington.
The search involves answering a number of questions about matters such as local proposals, planning and environmental health issues.
We collate information from departments within the Council and from the Local Land Charges Register. Each search that is submitted is sent to the answering department electronically and results are returned by email to the requestor.
The Local Land Charges Section aims to:
Process all standard searched within 3 to 5 working days or less.
- process all non standard searches within 10 working days or less
- respond to all letters within 10 working days
- answer the telephone within 10 seconds
- respond promptly to complaints/comments/suggestions
Service Standards
- we will treat you courteously, efficiently, tactfully and in confidence
- we will treat everybody equally and address special needs whenever possible
- we will encourage customer comment, suggestion or complaint and consider appropriate changes within the service
- we will index and register a Local Land Charge within ten working days of receipt
- we will make the register available with appointments to personal searches during the published opening hours
- we will keep our service users informed in writing of any changes in legislation or regulation concerning the service
Comments, complaints and compliments
We realise that occasionally you may be disappointed with some aspects of the service we provide. We take your comments seriously and have established procedures for considering comments or suggestions which are made. If there is any aspect of the service which you feel has not met your needs or require improvement, please contact us.
Customer care statement and service delivery
The Local Land Charges Section is committed to providing a quality service which is effective, efficient and responsive. The staff are polite and courteous at all times and wear ID badges for ease of identification.
The aim of the Local Land Charges Section is to assist the Council in meeting its aims particularly as regard to strengthening and diversifying the local economy and protecting and improving our environment.
Performance monitoring
The Local Land Charges Section aims to meet, and in most cases exceed, the standards set by the Audit Commission of completing standard searches within 10 working days.
Performance is monitored monthly within the section and published within the Council’s Annual Best Value Performance Plan.
Performance appraisals, one to one sessions and ongoing training programmes ensure that the Local Land Charges staff have the skills to deliver the Section’s targets for the coming year. Our target is to process 100% of all searches in 3 to 5 working days.