District and unitary authorities in England and Wales have a statutory duty to maintain the Local Land Charges Register, carry out searches of the register and respond to Enquiries of the Authority.
A local land charges search provides solicitors, conveyancers and buyers with essential information relevant to the purchase of a named property or piece of land. Local land charges officers maintain the Local Land Charges Register, carry out searches of the register and respond to Enquiries of the Authority.
The Local Land Charges National Occupational Standards (NOS) and their associated National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) were developed between 1997 and 2001 by the Employers’ Organisation for local government, working with local authorities in England and Wales, the Local Land Charges Institute and City and Guilds London Institute.
They provide standards and recognition for this professional group for which previously no specialist qualifications were available. They describe the standards of performance required by staff in local land charges departments and also specify what staff need to know in order to be effective in their roles.
In 2006/7, on behalf of SkillsPlus and the Local land Charges Institute, The Management Standards Consultancy reviewed the National Occupational Standards and National Vocational Qualifications for Local Land Charges, full details of which can be found on the
SkillsPlus website.
On behalf of Asset Skills, the Sector Skills Body for the places where we live and work, The Management Standards Consultancy has developed a website, www.locallandcharges.info, packed with information about the Local Land Charges and Property Services National Occupational Standards and National Qualifications, plus user guides, case studies and tools to get you started. Go to
www.locallandcharges.info.
