Ministry of Justice Announces an increase in the Statutory Personal Search fee from £11 to £22 with effect from 1st January 2010

Below is an extract from the Ministry of Justice web site. Full details can be found using the link below:

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/uksi_20092494_en_1

http://www.justice.gov.uk/latest-updates/lacpss180108.htm

"Communities and Local Government and the Ministry of Justice consulted on the government's proposals for local authority charges for property search services.

The Ministry of Justice has policy responsibility for the local land charges under the Local Land Charges Act 1975. The consultation paper discussed how the fee for a personal search of the local land charges register should be set and whether the fee should be changed.

There were 858 responses to the consultation. In light of the responses, the government has concluded that the fee for a personal search of the local land charges register should be increased from £11, the level at which it was set in 2003, to £22. This increase balances the interests of local authorities, the private sector and consumers

The new fee will come into force on 1 January 2010”.

MoJ Response to Consultation CP(R) 13/09

LLCI Comment

This long awaited increase will no doubt go some way to reducing the shortfall between the cost of providing the Personal Search service and the fees collected.

As MoJ themselves say in their consultation response summary "Notwithstanding the increase some LAs will not recover their costs of providing the service.”

LLCI fails to understand why it is considered fair or appropriate for those requesting Official Register Only searches to be required (by way of fee setting regulations) to financially support private industry through the provision of a subsidised Personal Search.

Having waited since April 2008 for the outcome of this consultation LLCI is disappointed (but not surprised) that we are as far away from a devolved personal search fee and central government's much championed level playing field, as ever.

LLCI September 2009