When purchasing a property, it's crucial to conduct a thorough property search to uncover any potential issues that could affect your investment. These issues can range from planned developments like motorways near your property to restrictions on land usage or building modifications due to listed or conservation status.
Your solicitor or estate agent will normally carry out a property search for you.
Property searches might also be performed when you are taking out a second mortgage on your property.
What property searches can uncover
A search could uncover land charges which restrict how you can use the land, including conditions specified as part of planning permission, orders against what kinds of fuel you can burn at the property, or whether the property is in a conservation area, meaning you have to maintain its period features.
Request a property search
Knowsley Council’s Property Search Information Service inspects all registers relating to your property and produces a report of the results, returned by email.
VAT on Con29 fees was imposed from 1 January 2017.
How to submit your search request
Send relevant CON29R & CON29RO forms by email to propertysearchinformation@knowsley.gov.uk
Please include a plan of the area you require your search to be conducted on.
Search of registers
You are able to book a free inspection search online. This allows you to carry out up to two searches for residential or commercial properties.
When booking, you must provide:
- Name and contact details
- Full postal address of the property or land which is the subject of the search
- A plan of the property clearly outlining the area
The average turnaround for searches is 10 working days.
Local Land Charges Information
The Council was invited to join the Land Registry’s Local Land Charges Programme for 2021/22. The purpose of the programme is to provide a new Local Land Charges data service which standardises the information from local authorities in one accessible place. This work is complete and our Local Land Charges Register was migrated to HM Land Registry’s national register in October 2022. You can access the service through the Portal, Business Gateway and on HM Land Registry’s GOV.UK pages. For more information please visit the Gov.uk Search for local land charges on land and property web page.
Current fees until 31st March 2026
Standard Service Form CON29R Enquiries of the Local Authority
£95.40
CON29RO Optional Enquiries each enquiry (4 – 22)
£15.90
Each additional parcel of land
£15.90
Additional Solicitor own enquiry (per enquiry)
The fee will be notified to the enquirer by the relevant answering department prior to the response.
All charges are inclusive of VAT charged at the appropriate rate.
New fees from 1 April 2026
Standard Service Form CON29R Enquiries of the Local Authority
£99.00
CON29RO Optional Enquiries each enquiry (4 – 22)
£16.50
Each additional parcel of land
£16.50
Additional Solicitor own enquiry (per enquiry)
The fee will be notified to the enquirer by the relevant answering department prior to the response.
All charges are inclusive of VAT charged at the appropriate rate.
Useful information for home buyers
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has published guidance on how to buy and sell a home. View these guides on the Gov.uk website.