Property searches can give you written advice and copies of documents from Council's records. For some properties, Council has building records dating back to the 1960s.
Outlined below are the property searches that are available and how to apply for them.
Timeframes
Search results will generally be provided within 10 business days from the date that Council receives your search request.
Property searches available
The following searches are available:
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Council recommends this search when purchasing a new property with an existing house.
This search provides written notification on:
- property: details of ownership, location, real property description and area of property
- valuation: details of the rateable value
- rates: details the amount of rates and water charges levied, arrears, interests and concessions. Details of easements, covenants, building envelopes, requisitions and resumptions
- special water meter read: details current water meter read including last meter read used for billing, number of days since last read, amount consumed including average daily consumption and current water pricing
- building report: may include a report of approval status, date of inspections and any outstanding compliance issues
- plumbing report: may include a report of approval status, date of inspections and any outstanding compliance issues
To apply, fill in and submit the residential property search form – refer to item 1 (domestic conveyance property search).
Please allow five business days to process rates and water searches and 10 business days to process other searches.
Three separate reports will be issued – one rates report, one special meter read report and one building and plumbing report.
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This can include dwellings, carports, patios, garages, swimming pools and the like.
This search provides written notification on domestic building and plumbing approvals for the property, including approval status, dates of inspections where applicable and any outstanding compliance issues.
To apply, fill in and submit the residential property search form – refer to item 6 (domestic building and plumbing search).
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This search provides a copy of the Council sewer main connection details. This is applicable to sewered properties only.
To apply, fill in and submit the residential property search form – refer to item 5 (vacant land search).
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A certificate of classification is provided where available on finalised commercial structures. (Note more than one certificate may relate to a property.) Contact the Searches Team for further advice. .
To apply, fill in and submit the commercial building and plumbing search form – refer to item 1 (certificate of classification/occupancy search).
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This search provides written notification on commercial building and plumbing approvals relating to a property. Included in the response is the date of approval, type of structure, date of certificate, outstanding compliance issues where applicable and copies of certificates referenced.
To apply, fill in and submit the commercial building and plumbing search form – refer to item 2 (commercial building and plumbing search).
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This request includes a copy of the decision notice and plans for all building approvals on the property where available. A copy of the 'as constructed' house drainage plan will be provided where available.
To apply, fill in and submit the residential property search form – refer to item 10 (approved domestic building plans package).
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This request provides 'as constructed' house drainage details and/or copies of approved plumbing plans where available.
To apply, fill in and submit the residential property search form – refer to item 8 (approved house drainage ‘as constructed’ plumbing plan).
Unapproved buildings and structures
Any unapproved buildings or structures located on the property remain the responsibility of the property owner and you should seek independent legal advice.
Planning and Development searches available
The following searches are available:
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A building envelope plan specifies where a building envelope is located on the property. All buildings and other improvements (for example pools, cut/fill batters, septic and sullage transpiration beds, absorption trenches) must be located entirely within the designated building envelope, with the exception of driveways/pathways. Building envelopes can also determine setbacks from boundaries, maximum area of the building footprint, and the building height.
A building envelope search will provide you with a copy of the building envelope plan that has been approved as part of a development approval, a copy of the development approval decision notice and the approved plans.
You should be aware that planning approval is required to build outside a building envelope or to amend a building envelope.
To apply for a building envelope search, fill in and submit the planning and development search form – refer to item 1 (Building Envelope search).
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In many instances, you can obtain copies of development application decision notices by using Development.i. Development.i is a tool to help you access details of development applications. Council commenced publishing documents for planning applications in March 2007. Documents lodged before this date are not published and may instead be accessed through a planning and development search or you can request a file inspection by visiting Council’s Cleveland customer service centre.
If the decision notice you are seeking is not available, you can apply for a copy of decision notice search. This type of search can provide you with a copy of the decision notice for planning and engineering approvals. This includes a copy of the approved plans and associated documents/reports that form part of the approval package, where available.
When requesting a copy of decision notice search, you need to provide the development application reference number for the specific development you are interested in. If you do not know the application reference number, you can instead provide a description of the development (for example: the material change of use development for a service station at 'this' address).
The application fee is payable for each development application. If you need all approvals associated with a property, it is recommended you obtain a standard or full planning and development certificate.
Copies of approval documents for a building or plumbing application can be accessed through a building and plumbing search. Please see above for either commercial or residential search forms.
To apply, fill in and submit the planning and development search form – refer to item 2 or 3 (Decision Notice/Compliance Certificate or Council issued Concurrence Agency Referral Response ).
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This search provides written notification on:
- planning scheme provisions, including zoning and overlays
- state planning instruments
- temporary local planning instruments
- variation approvals
- state or local designations
- information recorded in the infrastructure charges register.
This type of search does not include information about development approvals relating to the property.
To apply, fill in and submit the planning and development search form – refer to item 4 or 5 (Limited or URGENT Limited certificate search).
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This search provides written notification on:
- all information included in a limited planning certificate
- details on development approvals (including planning and building approvals) that are in effect and that have not lapsed
- every decision notice or negotiated decision notice, where available
- approved plans and associated documents/reports, where available
- any changes to a development approval
- any approvals to extend the currency period
- every deemed approval notice that has not lapsed
- every continuing approval mentioned in Section 6.1.23(1)(a) to (d) of the repealed Integrated Planning Act
- any decisions to amend a planning scheme under the repealed Local Government (Planning and Environment) Act 1990, section 4.3
- compliance certificates given under the Sustainable Planning Act
- any exemption certificates
- any judgment or order of the Planning and Environment Court or a tribunal
- any agreement that Council or a referral agency is a party to about a development condition
- infrastructure agreements
- proposed planning scheme amendments
- details of any current master plan.
To apply, fill in and submit the planning and development search form – refer to item 6 (Standard certificate search).
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This search provides written notification on:
- all information included in a limited and standard planning certificate
- a statement about the fulfilment or non-fulfilment of each condition
- if an infrastructure agreement applies to the premises, the nature and extent of any obligations that have not been fulfilled, and details of any security required and whether payment under the security has been made
- details of any prosecution or proceedings for a prosecution for a development offence.
To apply, fill in and submit the planning and development search form – refer to item 7 or 8 (Vacant site or Built site certificate search).
Other searches
Other searches offered by Council include:
Easement searches
To do a search about an easement, see the information from the Queensland Government.
How to lodge a request
Online
Log into MyServices or complete our Online form.
1. Log into MyServices and pay via credit card:
- from the menu select 'Do Business'
- click on New Search Order.
OR
1. Complete our Online form - make sure you have time to apply
Submitting your request takes about 10 minutes. You'll be able to save your application and resume later if you need more time.
2. Gather your information
You will need the following to complete and submit your application:
- Complete and save a copy of Redland City Council Credit Card Authority form in readiness to upload within the online form.
- The address of the property.
- Buyer/Seller names, if relevant.
- Settlement date, if relevant.
3. Complete the online form
Submit your search request.
4. We'll process your request
You can expect to hear from us by email or letter once we have processed your request.
In Person, By Email, Fax or Post
To apply, download and complete the relevant search form and complete the credit card payment section:
Once completed, you can submit your form in person, by email, fax or post.
In person at either of our customer service centres - open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm:
- Cleveland - Corner of Bloomfield Street and Middle Street
- Capalaba - Capalaba Place, Noeleen Street
- Victoria Point - High Street (Victoria Point Library - open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm)
Email: rcc@redland.qld.gov.au
Fax: (07) 3829 8765
Post: Redland City Council, PO Box 21, Cleveland, Qld 4163
Search fees
View details of fees applying to searches in Council's Fee Schedule.
Further information
Contact the Searches Team:
- Mail: Redland City Council, PO Box 21, Cleveland QLD 4163
- Phone: (07) 3829 8999
- Email: rcc@redland.qld.gov.au