What is a Local Authority Search?

The register and the ability to make searches of it were designed to ensure that purchasers of land or property are not caught out by the existence of obligations or restrictions known as 'charges', which are binding against successive owners, by local authorities. The registers form a property-based  information system. A search result will include any entries recorded against the property being searched - typically, these could include Smoke Control Orders, Conservation Areas, Tree Preservation Orders, financial charges where the Council is able to recover any money owed to it.