It is important to have a local authority search carried out when buying a property as it is designed to protect prospective purchasers by informing them of any restrictions upon the land.
The Government has published a Good Practice Guide for local authorities and personal searchers. The guidance sets out good practice on the conduct of a personal search of the Local Land Charges Register and of other records held by local authorities for inclusion in a property search.
This guidance has been developed by a Working Group comprising representatives of local government, property search companies and central government.