UK PSI Charges dropped to comply with EU Directive!
Source: Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG), UK
New steps to cut the cost of moving home and open up the books
London: 29 July 2010
The UK Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has published a news topic titled: New steps to cut the cost of moving home and open up the books.
The announcement states:
“Home buyers can access more information about their new home without having to pay for the information, the Government announced today.
The law is being changed to stop people being charged a £22 fee for a personal search of the Local Land Charges Register. This move is intended to make key environmental information more accessible to the public.
These land searches tell a home buyer about restrictions or issues that affect the property, such as planning conditions, conservation areas and protected trees.
The new Government has already suspended costly and bureaucratic Home Information Packs. Today's move will further help reduce costs for home buyers.
Making sure that this information can be accessed free of charge is part of the Government's wider drive for 'open data' to make public sector information more transparent and accessible to the public online. Local councils are in the forefront of this agenda to increase accountability and open up the books.
Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, said:
"Moving home is difficult and stressful, and the new Government wants to make it easier. We've already taken steps to scrap Home Information Packs, and now we are cutting the cost of researching the detail about your new home.
"This shows in practice how freeing up public sector data and opening up the books can benefit the whole economy, by cutting transaction costs and increasing competition."
Today's measures are being introduced to ensure compliance with European law which requires examination of environmental information on site to be free of charge.”
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The legislative changes that enact the above are schedule to come into force on the 17th August 2010.
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