Current developments

We are working on a number of improvements to speed up our service, improve the quality of information and generally provide a better service for users

Speeding up house buying

The government's Housing Information Pack (HIP) has now been implemented for all dwellings. A HIP is designed to speed up and simplify buying and selling houses. The new CON29 (2007) is also operative

The intention was to provide a compulsory "sellers pack" provided by the vendor which contains:

• Sale Statement
• Evidence of Title (Title deeds and copies of any leases)
• Home use form
• Home contents form (List of fixtures, fittings and contents)
• A home energy efficiency report.
• The outcome of the land charge search

Our land charge information provides certified details of all Registrations affecting the use and enjoyment of the land and/or property and as such is one of the key elements of the HIP. Further details can be found at Department for Communities & Local Government.

Modernising local government/e-government

The government and this Council have been working to have key services online. This includes land and property information which is now available via 'Planning Interactive', an on-line planning information system.

To date, our initiatives have been to:

• Join the NLIS- now at Level 2 which means we can receive searches electronically
• Complete a Tandridge National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG)
• Computerise our land charges function
• Introduce a geographic information system
• Undertake a major programme of land and property information data capture
• Post the Local Plan on the Council's web site via the national Planning Portal

Developing Land Charges (2007-2008)

To help improve our service we are planning to move towards a more rapid turnaround by:

• Upgrading our land charge system (Phase 1 now complete and bedding in)
• Completing integration between information systems (Phase 2)
• Moving to NLIS Level 3 and /or making best use of e-mailing facilities
• Promotion and publicity of the service

On completion we should be able to provide a one to two day turnaround of land charge searches which will help speed up the house buying process for customers.