In the UK, the Land Registry is the central database for all registered property documents. Technology now allows both solicitors and the public access to these documents at the click of the mouse (most of the time).  But other than convenience, why should you bother sending your completed documents to the Land Registry for registration?

Scenario: Mr X is a Tenant. He has recently extended his lease although he did not use a solicitor. Upon completion, he received the Landlord’s copy in the post and thought the transaction had completed.

Issue: Unfortunately, having received the Landlord’s copy of the lease extension is not the end. Quite often, there will be a requirement to register a document with the Land Registry within a reasonable period i.e. 1 month from completion. In addition, the new lease will not be ‘in law’ until it has been registered.

Registering my document at the Land Registry

So why really go through all the fuss? Mr X has the document to hand to prove the lease extension was completed…

Accuracy: Keeping the Land Registry up to date whether it be changes in the owner’s name i.e. after a marriage or death, details on addresses for service of correspondence or the parties involved all allow solicitors to take advantage of the instance access of documents therefore cutting down transaction times and allowing for a swifter completion of the matter certainty.

Keeping the Land Registry database as accurate as possible reduces mistakes being made by solicitors and third parties that use the Land Registry when sending what can be important notices relating to the property. In some instances, a Notice can be deemed delivered to the owner if sent to the last known address, which can be the address at the Land Registry.

Lender’s requirement: If your property is subject to a charge, it is often the case that the Lender will require the document to be registered within a certain period of time following completion. Failure to do so could invalidate the consent and result in a breach of your loan agreement with the Lender.

Safety: Keeping unregistered documents can be a risky business. Moving house, burst water pipe or the dog finds a new chew toy; lost or damaged unregistered documents at home can have serious consequences especially when quite often there are only two copies of the document.

Security: Property related fraud is on the rise and keeping all aspects of the register updated can help to reduce your risk.

How can Attwells help? We here at Attwells can help bring your Land Registry Title up to date, ensure that all documents, which require being registered, are registered and make all those minor amendments needed to give you peace of mind.

For more information please call Phill on: 0207 449 3139.