It’s been another important year for HM Land Registry. We have continued to focus on our mission to guarantee and protect your land and property rights, but we have also launched our new Local Land Charges Register, recorded the signing of the first digital mortgage and published our customer charter, among many other things!
We’re glad to see that so many of you are following our work on our blog. As the year comes to a close we wanted to look back on some of the most-read* posts of 2018.
10 - 800 years in the making: Welsh Land Transaction Tax
At the start of the chart is a short update on the introduction of the Welsh Land Transaction Tax and how it would impact on our customers. A celebration of cross-departmental planning, the introduction of this new tax passed with minimal disruption.
9 - The ABC of title registers
We have created more than 25,000,000 title registers – you can read the title register of any registered property for just £3 but what does a title register hold, and what does it mean?
8 - As safe as houses – protect yourself from property fraud
Our mission is to guarantee and protect your property rights. A key aspect of that is enabling you to protect your property against potential fraud. Timed to connect with International Fraud Awareness Week, this post explores how property fraud happens and what you can do to protect your home.
7 - Work with us to make conveyancing simpler, faster and cheaper
In October we published our customer charter, setting out what our customers could expect from us as we work to make conveyancing faster, simpler and cheaper.
6 - Searching for the owner of unregistered land
We’ve already explored what we know about registered titles (with number 9 in the list), but what can be unearthed about the ownership of unregistered land? This post sets out how you can turn detective.
5 - Registering new builds: Can we fix it? Yes, we can!
In July we introduced the latest of our projects to see how we can make it easier to register new build properties. This is a great example of our approach to our digital transformation. We will continue to share the latest digital developments throughout 2019 on our blog.
4 - What to do when a property owner dies
Answering one of our most commonly asked questions, this well-read post from February addresses what needs to be done when someone who owns property passes away.
3 - Drawing the line on boundaries
Despite popular opinion, our title plans do not show precise property boundaries. Instead they show general boundaries, based on Ordnance Survey maps, and while some deeds in our records might have some information, this is by no means the case for all properties. So what should you do if you find yourself in a dispute over boundaries?
2 - Where are my title deeds, and do I need them?
Our second-most popular post looks into the role of paper title deeds in the age of digital records. What are they? Where are they? Does it matter if you accidentally lose your copy of the deed? And can you get another copy?
The most read blog post, by quite a margin, is a post from back in January. Again addressing one of our most frequently asked questions, this post explains how you can find out when your house was built (spoiler – one of these is to read the title register).
And that’s it for this year. As mentioned earlier, 2019 promises to be another big year for HM Land Registry as we continue to work toward our ambition of becoming the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data – as well as aiming to achieve comprehensive registration by 2030.
If you haven’t already, you can subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates about all of our projects, or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.
Happy New Year.
* The ‘most read’ stats are based on the number of page views in the first two weeks of a blog post’s existence, rather than total page views in the year. This approach was taken to ensure blogs from the start of the year were not given undue prominence.
19 comments
Comment by John Harvey posted on
Admire the way that LR provides information for citizens as well as professionals
Let 2019 be the year when you publish objective information about professionals service levels (eg incidence of applications rejected or received without protective searches being in place) in a consumer friendly way to help lay people, comparison sites and quality scheme providers make informed choices
Keep up the good work
Comment by John Stokes posted on
Thank you very much. Being in the process moving house (the 16th time - some due to my Civil Service career) the references in the blog are very useful.
Comment by Shelagh Weston posted on
I have ordered a title plan which show a red outline of my property but there are no T marks and I find this unusual. How do I get a copy of the deed plan with the T marks please. I live in a detached bungalow with a wall to the rear and houses either side.
Comment by AdamH posted on
Shelagh - the title plan won’t show such information. Have a read of this blog to see what information is relevant as it’s not just registered information that counts here
https://hmlandregistry.blog.gov.uk/2018/02/27/drawing-the-line-on-boundaries/
Comment by Shelagh Weston posted on
Thank you Adamh ... I have a copy of the title plan and title register. My neighbours title plan shows T marks but my Title plan just just shows a red outline. Having already spent around £20 for copies of docs I already have I just want to be sure I am requesting a correct document. Is a title deed the same as I already have ? Which gives me very little information.. I could ring the registry office would that assist ?
Thanks again
Comment by AdamH posted on
Shelagh - every registered title will comprise a register and title plan. Some may refer to a ‘filed’ deed on the register which is the first sale by the builder and which contains a plan of the type you are referring to. The blog article on boundaries explains this for you.
There is no point calling us
Comment by Shelagh Weston posted on
Thank you, then I am only to presume, (always a problem) that I have no responsibilities for any boundaries in deeds supplied as no T and no mention in registry document. I have spent a whole week going through and through again the paperwork.. it’s just odd .. thanks for your time. I thought the office may have had original paperwork not in electronic form which showed greater detail of any T markings? I am reading from your post that would not be the case .. I am right in thinking that.
Regards Shelagh
Comment by AdamH posted on
Shelagh - that’s correct. The registered information is very rarely definitive re such information. People often think it will be but the fact is owners often move/change fences and boundary features over the years and that can often be the key. So it’s a mix of knowing what’s registered, who has done what over the years and who wants to do what going forward. Everyone owner differs and so too does every boundary
Comment by Chris Dance posted on
Hi there, I'm on the verge of contract exchange as part of a larger chain of transactions, but the seller solicitor has thrown a spanner in the works by advising that a charge on a small part of extended land has not yet been discharged. The solicitor has raised this as an expedited query, but giving no indication as to time frames , and will only update as/when they receive this from yourselves.
As a prospective buyer, if I could get permission from the seller to disclose the appropriate reference/title numbers, any chance that you'd be able to confirm the current status & indicative time frames for resolution?
I know you must be super busy, and the covid pandemic has hit everyone hard, and sure you're progressing as fast as possible, So just looking for clarity on time frames, not to chase as I'm sure you're going flat out. Many thanks
Chris
Comment by AdamH posted on
Chris - enquiries are one thing and applications another so it’s important to have specifics. What’s the postal address? Or if you can get the title number/case reference then please share
Comment by Chris Dance posted on
Hi Adam,
Of course, and thanks so much for responding so promptly. I've not used a blog forum before, so didn't include specifics initially, & really appreciate your support (along with other buyers within the chain!) The property address is 41 Leechcroft Road, Wallington, SM6 7JF. I've separately reached out to solicitors to try & confirm the title/case reference numbers, and will provide these as soon as possible. It's in respect to a charge which wasn't discharged at point mortgage was settled some time ago. Thanks again, Chris
Comment by Chris Dance posted on
Hi Adam, I've since received the title number from the solicitors. SGL 661190. I can share a copy by e-mail if helpful. Thanks again, Chris
Comment by AdamH posted on
Chris - many thanks. This is a blog so not really an enquiry/email channel. The solicitor rang it seems on 29th to query the charge on the title. That is being investigated so they should get a response fairly soon. You’ll need to wait for that information so please bear with us and I’m sure the solicitor will update as soon as they have something to share
Comment by Chris Dance posted on
Hi Adam, thanks so much for this, appreciate the support esp. noting I've strayed into a blog as opposed to more appropriate channels. This is a great reassurance, and please do extend my sincere thanks & appreciation to the wider team for all their efforts in investigating this as expeditiously as possible.
Comment by Ann C posted on
My sister is selling her house and land separately but they are all on the same title. The land is being transferred into my name (for no value) and the property to my cousin at full market rate. The house sale is the most urgent. How do we divide the title into two and ensure that both new owners are registered at the same time? PS. We intend to use a solicitor to register the new owner of the house but we were hoping to register the land in my name without using a Solicitor.
Comment by AdamH posted on
Ann C - you can transfer part and transfer the remainder (which would then be the whole)
https://www.gov.uk/registering-land-or-property-with-land-registry/transfer-ownership-of-your-property
Comment by Ann C posted on
Thank you AdamH. What is the approximate timescale to allow for the register to be updated, if a Solicitor submits an online application? And what is the timescale if a lay person submits through the post (based on arrival at the Land Registry and assuming all the docs are in order and no errors!). I assume that Covid has resulted in delays to processing applications?
Comment by AdamH posted on
Ann C - all applications are subject to some delay currently. How long they may wait will depend on the type though so it could be 4/5 weeks for a register update but several months for a more complex new lease or transfer of part https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-impact-on-hm-land-registrys-services#impact-on-our-services
Comment by Ann C posted on
Thank you for clarifying the procedure and providing a helpful, speedy, response to both queries.