Guidance

Our support

Published 1 November 2024

Applies to England and Wales

1. Support for local authorities

Find out what support is available to local authorities when joining the local land charges (LLC) register.

1.1 Resource support

Scanning and digitisation of non-digital data

Our dedicated scanning team can work with you to provide resource to scan your paper, microfiche and other non- digital records. Where your records are taken offsite, we have a 24-hour service level agreement to get any pertinent information required for a search back to you.

1.2 Business Analyst Support

Our business analysts will work with you to create process maps and identify your data sources. They’ll also be able to support you with business rules and bulk fixes agreed with you, to limit your staff having to make individual changes/fixes where possible.

1.3 Dedicated Delivery Managers

Each authority is assigned a Delivery Manager who can provide access to HM Land Registry subject matter experts and will be a first port of call for any queries. The Delivery Manager will liaise with external suppliers as well as local authority IT department to ensure a smooth migration.

2. Process improvement

2.1 Removing non-digital data from your authority

Scanning your non-digital data prepares your local authority for migration. It does not detract or remove work from suppliers once they are on board if they are undertaking scanning services. Digitising your data allows you to understand what work is left to be done before you make the decision to enter service migration.

3. Migration tools

3.1 Data Analysis Dashboard

This tool is designed to quantify what we know about your dataset. By analysing your data multiple times as you progress through your migration, we’ll be able to identify what fixes can be applied and which areas need to be worked on.

3.2 Migration Helper

This tool identifies gaps in spatial datasets. Working with your staff, our programme team will use the Migration Helper to create spatial extents from your existing records to ensure your dataset is complete.

4. Financial support

4.1 Burdens payment

Local authorities will receive a burdens payment within 3 months of migration that covers the cost of:

• extraction of data from current digital systems
• data preparation
• provision of information to create spatial extents
• providing updates to the register during migration
• resolution of enquiries arising during the migration process
• payment for the one-off activities and first 3 years of additional work to add, vary and cancel charges will be made at the same time

HM Land Registry is paying existing local authority software suppliers for work to automate the process for updating through application programming interfaces (API) local authority systems. We will pay suppliers API maintenance for 3 years.

If a local authority undertakes development of their own API integration instead of using one provided by a supplier, work done will form part of the burdens payments made within 3 months of migration.

4.2 Transition payments

The transition payment will be in addition to the new burdens. It covers any costs a local authority may incur when migrating their data. This means the overall financial support available will be more than £40 million. The payment can be used by local authorities for resources, such as administrative support, equipment or services that will enable a smooth and timely migration.

Payments will be based on the size of the housing market the local authority provides service for. We have used the Office for National Statistics property sales data to create five local authority bands. Local authorities will typically be offered between £60,000 and £90,000 respectively, a small number of very large authorities will be offered a higher amount. These payment amounts are non-negotiable.

Local authorities will receive two separate payments, when they achieve two key delivery milestones. The first payment will be issued when they sign their Delivery Plan and formally enter service migration. After the service goes live, they will receive the second final payment.

For local authorities that miss their second milestone we will apply a tapered system of weekly deductions which will determine the amount the local authority will receive if they meet a revised serve notice date. The local authority will have 2.5% of the milestone 2 payment deducted for each week past the original deadline. If cause of the delay lies with HM Land Registry, payment will be made as normal.

Payments are conditional on local authorities meeting the delivery milestones, by the dates agreed with HM Land Registry.

5. Roles and responsibilities

5.1 Local authority

An overview of the different roles and actions taken during migration.

Senior Responsible Owner

1. Leads the strategic oversight of the migration
2. Makes strategic decisions on behalf of the local authority
3. Ensures the local authority fulfils its obligations to receive transition payments
4. Ensures the migration is considered in the wider local authority context
5. Feeds back on progress to all stakeholders including HM Land Registry
6. Raises awareness of the support infrastructure provided by HM Land Registry

Operational Lead

1. Primary contact within the local authority
2. Works closely with the HM Land Registry Delivery Manager
3. Ensures migration activities delivered to time
4. Provides detailed insight into the service, people, data and processes
5. Deploys resource
6. Engages all necessary support functions as required

Local Land Charges Officer

1. Undertakes migration activities
2. Responds to data-related queries
3. Provides insight into current LLC processes
4. Continues to deliver the LLC service through migration

IT Lead

1. Enables extraction of data
2. Provides information on IT architecture, software and processes
3. Sets up Secure File Transfer Protocols (SFTP)
4. Implements system-related upgrades

GIS Officer

1. Provides information on and access to spatial data

Planning Officer

1. Provides information on and access to planning data and processes
2. Responds to data issue enquiries
3. Effects amendments to local authority data

Legal

1. Main contact for legal matters including consideration of the Collaboration Agreement and HR-related matters

Finance

1. Provides information on financial charge-related data and processes
2. Responds to data issue enquiries

5.2 HM Land Registry

An overview of the different roles and actions taking during migraiton.

Local Authority Delivery Manager

1. Main contact within the Programme
2. Works closely with the local authority Operational Lead
3. Project manages the end-to-end delivery from pre-migration to go-live
4. Coordinates with HM Land Registry subject matter expertise

Customer Delivery Manager

1. Raises awareness of the Local Land Charges service with customers
2. Leads launch event planning
3. Account manages volume Local Land Charges customers

Business Analyst

1. Works with local authorities and suppliers to deliver digitisation and transformation of local authority data
2. Undertakes analysis of local authority data to determine compatibility with HM Land Registry’s LLC Register
3. Works with local authority Local Land Charges teams and HM Land Registry Local Authority Delivery Managers to enhance local authority data to meet HM Land Registry’s LLC Register requirements

Data Quality Analyst

1. Evaluates data output against pre-defined standards and data specifications
2. Develops and reviews technical solutions to enable standardised quality assessments to be carried out against bulk data sets
3. Assimilates and reports on output from quality assessments to give assurance quality is being maintained at the correct level

Technical Delivery Manager

1. Supports local authorities in the extraction of Local Land Charges
2. Works closely with local authority IT Lead
3. Establishes a community of best practice amongst local authorities and other originating authorities
4. Assists in the engagement with and management of incumbent suppliers
5. Works closely with the Local Authority Delivery Manager

Lawyer

1. Provides legal support on policy, commercial and migration matters
2. Primary Programme contact for Collaboration Agreement queries