To register or not register

Since 1925 when the Land Registry was first established it has been trying to extend the number of properties and amount of land registered with the eventual aim of covering the entire country.

They are still working on it but these days, if it is not already registered at the Land Registry, whenever a property or land changes hands or any “legal” dealing takes place registration will be triggered.

One advantage of registration is that the old paper title deeds become irrelevant.The “title deeds” of the property are the records held electronically at the Land Registry.This means that you do not need to worry about where your title deeds are kept or the possibility of losing them.

Registration can also make the process of selling the property more straightforward since all of the relevant information is collected and held in a standard format by the Land Registry rather than requiring any purchaser or their lawyer to trawl through copies of old title deeds.This is particularly helpful in cases where the title deeds are more complicated for example where different pieces of land have been purchased over a period of time and pieced together to form one property, or where there are rights required over other land for example rights of way or rights for drains or other services to reach the property being sold.

The Land Registry are happy for people voluntarily to register their properties.There will still be a fee to pay for this service based on the value of the property, and whilst the fee is likely to be a few hundred pounds it is reduced from the normal level of fee charged by the Land Registry so as to encourage such voluntary applications.

For advice on this and other Residential Property issues, please contact Karen Fletcher.

Please note the contents of this blog are given for information only and must not be relied upon. Legal advice should always be sought in relation to specific circumstances.