Commentary on the Sections Realisation of security Section 55: Local land charges
102.Local land charges arise under a variety of statutory provisions and usually relate to costs of repairing a property or the amenities in the immediate vicinity of the property, such as roads. Local land charges bind a subsequent owner of registered land even when they are not registered at the Land Registry, although they normally appear on the local land charges register kept by the local authority. Some local land charges are charges on land to secure the payment of money, such as a charge to recover expenses incurred by a local authority because of non-compliance with a repair notice. Section 55 provides that although a local land charge binds the owner, powers to realise the money due cannot be exercised until the charge is registered at the Land Registry. The intention is to ensure that it is clear on the face of the register if someone has powers of disposal over registered land.