SEARCHES THE LOCAL AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE' Nigel Hemmings' Local Land Charges Manager'

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SEARCHES THE LOCAL AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE.
Nigel Hemmings. Local Land Charges Manager.
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Aims and Objectives

• To outline the situation in Birmingham.
• To show how we deal with searches.
• To outline the frustrations felt by local
  authorities

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The Situation in Birmingham.

• 2003/04 received 30,795 searches of which 5092
  were searches of the LLC Register only.
  Income of 2m plus.
• Received 150 personal searches per month.
• Reduced search fee from 140 to 75 on 1st June
  2007 to coincide with introduction of HIPs.
• 2007/08 received 27,267 searches of which 10,308
  were searches of the register only. Income of
  600k plus.
• Received 300 plus personal searches per month.
• Since the introduction of HIPs we seem unable to
  maintain our share of the market.

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How we deal with searches.

• Trained staff experts in Local Land Charges.
• Electronic delivery of search replies.
• Electronic database for Planning and Building
  Regs, Highways database being prepared.
• 2 day turnaround for searches.
• NLIS Level 2. Searches received and delivered
  electronically.
• Charter Mark holders. excellence in public
  service.

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How we deal with searches.

• Customer Focus Group.
• Payment by accounts.
• Accept searches by any method.- e mail, fax,
  DX, post.
• Work closely with other Local Authorities and
  Severn Trent Searches in the West Midlands
  Warwickshire Property Searches Forum.
• ..And yet with all this our market share is
  still falling!

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Frustrations!

• OFT Report will there ever be a level playing
  field for Local Authorities?
• Why am I expected to put right mistakes made by
  other search providers?
• Will there be some statutory regulation of other
  search providers?
• NLIS great system but expensive to use.

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Frustrations!

• Why is the personal search fee so low? We need
  central government to deregulate the fee to allow
  local authorities to cover costs.