Bonus for home sellers in Birmingham

Home owners preparing to sell their homes in Birmingham will shortly receive a bonus as search fees for local land charges are set to be almost halved if proposals are approved by Cabinet on 21st May 2007.

The search forms part of the new Home Information Packs (HIP’s) which come into force on 1st June 2007, and require sellers to prepare a range of information before placing a property on the market.

The current standard fee for a local authority search in Birmingham is £140 but it is proposed that this be reduced to £75.

Councillor Ken Hardeman, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said:

“We want people selling and buying property in Birmingham to get the best possible service when making search enquiries. The Council has always prided itself on the quality of the information provided and the speed of service (currently 2/3 days) but with the proposed fee reduction we are also able to offer the service at a very competitive price. The Government wants local authorities to act competitively and Birmingham is ready, as always, to rise to this challenge.”

In cases where a “refresher” search may be necessary due to the time elapsing since the original search and completion of the sale, a fee of £20 will be charged if it is within 6 months of the first search.