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Extortionate "local search" fee??

Kuztardd
Kuztardd Posts: 153 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
edited 5 January 2010 at 12:30PM in House buying, renting & selling
deleted thread
--- Meh ---

Comments

  • Bossyboots
    Bossyboots Posts: 6,760 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    He is absolutely correct. This is from Barnet Online
    LOCAL LAND CHARGES FEE LIST

    SEARCH FEES FROM 1 JANUARY 2007

    Full Search (Residential and Commercial) £288.00 (NLIS £280.00)
    Expedited 24 Hour Full Search £377.00 (NLIS £367.00)
    Certificate of Search (LLC1) £6.00 (NLIS £4.00)
    Part II Enquiries (each) £21.00
    Additional Enquiries (each) £37.00
    Extra Parcels of Land (each) 38.00

    PERSONAL SEARCHES
    One Parcel of Land £11.00
    Extra Parcels of Land (each) 31.00
    Inspection of Documents (each) £2.50

    COMMON LAND SEARCHES
    One Parcel £14.00
    Extra Parcels (each) £1.00

    For copy fees please contact Local Land Charges on 020 8359 5592
  • maninthestreet
    maninthestreet Posts: 16,127 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    Seems like Barnet Council sees property searches as a way to make money.
    "You were only supposed to blow the bl**dy doors off!!"
  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 50,815 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Name Dropper
    the cheapest property in Barnet is going to e over £150k, so I guess they feel anyone who can spend that won't mind giving the council a slice.
    I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages & student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.
  • Madjock
    Madjock Posts: 744 Forumite
    you could always ask your sol if he will do a search via PSG instead and what it would cost.
  • olly300
    olly300 Posts: 14,738 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Search fees of different councils in London area that I can find with quick google search:
    Kensington and Chelsea £257.50
    Ealing £235
    Wandsworth £213
    Merton £200
    Westminister, Harrow £195
    Southwark £190

    Seems some other councils in London have the same idea.
    I'm not cynical I'm realistic :p

    (If a link I give opens pop ups I won't know I don't use windows)
  • rebeccaj
    rebeccaj Posts: 1,390 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    so this is something you have to have done as part of the conveyancing process, yet councils can charge what they like. :eek:
    Legal requirement, no choice, pay what we ask up or go away.

    Sounds like a licence to print money to me and should be uniform and/or regulated. Surely the same amount of work (and I use the term loosely with respect to 'searches'!) is done by whichever council so I don't understand how or why the costs should vary so much.

    Maybe this should be Martin's next crusade ;)
  • MJMum
    MJMum Posts: 580 Forumite
    I don't understand how or why the costs should vary so much

    Maybe because Barnet Council are so anti-private housing? (My SIL works there).
    Don't see the point anymore in offering advice to people who only want to be agreed with...
This discussion has been closed.
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