Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
BOOK REVIEW
ENQUIRIES OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND WATER COMPANIES
A Practical Guide
7th edition
By Keith Pugsley and Ken Miles
ISBN: 978 0 85490 307 8
WILDY, SIMMONDS AND HILL PUBLISHING
wildy.com
A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE FOR PRACTITIONERS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVOLVED IN FORM FILLING
An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers
and Reviews Editor, “The Barrister”
In its seventh edition of this well-known work, solicitors Keith Pugsley and Ken Miles provide a clear and concise commentary on Forms CON29 (2016), CON29O (2016), and CON29DW (2021). It is, effectively, a technical legal guide to form filling from Wildy, Simmonds and Hill Publishing but one which has great significance for local government and water companies.
The authors state that an integral part of the modern conveyancing process is the conduct of a search of the register of local land charges maintained by the district council, and the raising of enquiries of local authorities. And for those new to the system, the register of local land charges contains details of all local land charges registered against property situated in the district administered by the council. This register contains details of such matters as “outstanding liability for road and other financial charges, home improvements grants, tree preservation orders (TPO), and notices served consequent upon the making of a compulsory purchase order (CPO)”.
Whilst there is a multitude of local land charges which are registrable by statute or regulation, these charges are not covered by this book. However, searches of the register can be conducted hence the need for completions of forms, normally electronically these days, which for this work covers Con 29 and involve 3 categories: planning, engineering and environmental health.
Each enquiry is examined in turn, and sets out the relevant and up-to-date legal position, with sources and references, in non-technical language. This short book on “Enquiries of Local Authorities and Water Companies” is a popular practical guide written by Pugsley and Miles and remains an invaluable reference to the conveyancing practitioner and the local land charges officer when form filling.
The authors set out a summary of the implications of any reply by the local authority or water company concerned, positive or negative, so that a prospective purchaser can make a balanced decision as to whether to proceed with the purchase. Do read the main introduction, plus the general notes on Forms Con 29, 29O and 29DW, and the notes at the front of the forms for detailed assistance.
It is important to remember that the forms are approved by The Law Society, and various associations representing the interests of the councils replying to the enquiries. Readers will also be aware that these forms are approved by the Local Government Association, the Council of Mortgage Lenders, Water UK, the Association of Council Secretaries and Solicitors, Land Data on behalf of the NLIS, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers and the Local Land Charges Institute. In short, the authors give you brilliant and detailed assistance in form filling with all the usual questions being answered in the 3 Parts of the book. Thank you, Messrs Pugsley and Miles, for making our job so much easier!
The 7th edition of this paperback book was published in 2024.
BOOK REVIEW
ENQUIRIES OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND WATER COMPANIES
A Practical Guide
7th edition
By Keith Pugsley and Ken Miles
ISBN: 978 0 85490 307 8
WILDY, SIMMONDS AND HILL PUBLISHING
wildy.com
A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE FOR PRACTITIONERS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVOLVED IN FORM FILLING
An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers
and Reviews Editor, “The Barrister”
In its seventh edition of this well-known work, solicitors Keith Pugsley and Ken Miles provide a clear and concise commentary on Forms CON29 (2016), CON29O (2016), and CON29DW (2021). It is, effectively, a technical legal guide to form filling from Wildy, Simmonds and Hill Publishing but one which has great significance for local government and water companies.
The authors state that an integral part of the modern conveyancing process is the conduct of a search of the register of local land charges maintained by the district council, and the raising of enquiries of local authorities. And for those new to the system, the register of local land charges contains details of all local land charges registered against property situated in the district administered by the council. This register contains details of such matters as “outstanding liability for road and other financial charges, home improvements grants, tree preservation orders (TPO), and notices served consequent upon the making of a compulsory purchase order (CPO)”.
Whilst there is a multitude of local land charges which are registrable by statute or regulation, these charges are not covered by this book. However, searches of the register can be conducted hence the need for completions of forms, normally electronically these days, which for this work covers Con 29 and involve 3 categories: planning, engineering and environmental health.
Each enquiry is examined in turn, and sets out the relevant and up-to-date legal position, with sources and references, in non-technical language. This short book on “Enquiries of Local Authorities and Water Companies” is a popular practical guide written by Pugsley and Miles and remains an invaluable reference to the conveyancing practitioner and the local land charges officer when form filling.
The authors set out a summary of the implications of any reply by the local authority or water company concerned, positive or negative, so that a prospective purchaser can make a balanced decision as to whether to proceed with the purchase. Do read the main introduction, plus the general notes on Forms Con 29, 29O and 29DW, and the notes at the front of the forms for detailed assistance.
It is important to remember that the forms are approved by The Law Society, and various associations representing the interests of the councils replying to the enquiries. Readers will also be aware that these forms are approved by the Local Government Association, the Council of Mortgage Lenders, Water UK, the Association of Council Secretaries and Solicitors, Land Data on behalf of the NLIS, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers and the Local Land Charges Institute. In short, the authors give you brilliant and detailed assistance in form filling with all the usual questions being answered in the 3 Parts of the book. Thank you, Messrs Pugsley and Miles, for making our job so much easier!
The 7th edition of this paperback book was published in 2024.
