Building Control Department

New Common Property Certificate – from January 2004

1. The District Councils in Northern Ireland, in association with the Law Society of Northern Ireland, have agreed a new Property Certificate which will be used in all Council areas.

2. The new Property Certificate is to be implemented from 1st January 2004. All Councils will aim to provide the new Certificate from this date.

3. The questions to be answered have been devised and agreed with the Law Society.

4. Solicitors, and others applying for Certificates, will be able to specify the type of property search that they need. Four types are provided for in the Application Form:

A standard ten-year search – this is back ten years from the date of application
• A search back to 1973 – not all Councils will offer this search
• A specified ten-year search – this is where the applicant specifies a ten-year search period between the present and 1973
• A follow-on ten year search from the previous search

5. Fees for the Certificates, from 1st January 2004, are

• Standard ten-year search - £60
• 1973 search - £85
• specified ten-year search - £60
• follow-on ten year search - £25

6. Solicitors should make applications in the usual way, accompanied by the new fee. A copy of the revised Application Form can be downloaded from this site. Applications will be accepted on the previous Form if supplies of these are still available in Solicitors’ offices.

Please use the links below to download forms and the information

• Application Form
  application form and
  Council addresses)


• Information for Applicants

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