Information Tribunal Rules to Give Access to Environmental Data to Conveyancing Solicitors

Informational Tribunal ruled that conveyancing solicitors should get free access to information regarding environmental search from the local authority.

In East Riding of Yorkshire a private search company was not able to inspect some environmental documentation free of charge. According to the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 councils should make environmental records accessible to the public. However, they have the right to charge for making the data available in hard copy.

In the abovementioned case the tribunal ruled that the raw data should also be available free of charge and there should be no charge for a hard copy. 

Franchise development director of X-Press Legal Services, Dan Archer, hopes that the new ruling will open up the possibility to lower the costs for search companies since the local authorities will be forced to stop charging for making a hard copy of environmental data.

He also added that in some cases local authorities had been charging for information that should be freely accessible according to the Environmental Information Regulations.