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Land charges

Finding out about matters such as local proposals, planning and environmental health issues.

Local Authority search

What is it and how to purchase it

Village greens

How to register land as a town or village green

Landowner statements

How to apply for a landowner statement

Personal searches

Information from the HMLR Portal and Answering Departments

Fees & Payments

See our search fees and how to pay

Contact Land Charges

Contact the Land Charges team

Important Information - HMLR Migration

From 26th March 2026 we will no longer provide a local land charges search service.   
We are the 145th Authority to migrate to HM Land Registry’s national register. You will be able to access a new digital service through HM Land Registry's Portal [opens in new window], Business Gateway and on HM Land Registry’s GOV.UK page [opens in new window].

Darlington Borough Council continues to provide replies to Con29 enquiries, customer responses and remains responsible for maintaining charges on the LLC Register.

It is important to remember Fees have changed.

The Local Land Charges Section is run within the Legal Section at the Town Hall, Darlington.

We provide an insurance backed Local Authority search (also known as Enquiries of Local Authority, or CON29), it 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 searches 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
  • 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 strengthen and diversify the local economy and protect and improve 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 fulfil the Section’s targets for the coming year. Our target is to process 100% of all searches in 3 to 5 working days.

Darlington Borough Council does not provide Land Registry Title Deeds or Plans.  The Council is aware of a third party company using "Darlington" in their payment details; however, they are in no way associated with this Council.  To purchase Title Deeds or Plans, please go directly to GOV.UK Search for land and property information - GOV.UK [External Link].

If you have made a payment to a third party and have not received your documents, you should contact the company directly in the first instance. You should also consider contacting your bank to report the transaction and seek further advice.

Darlington Borough Council cannot provide any assistance with the recovery of funds you paid to a third party.

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