Avoid conveyancing delays by registering your title - 20 April 2007

Bristol property lawyer, Susan Ellis, of Wards Solicitors, warns property owners to register their property at the Land Registry or face possible delays when they come to sell. This will especially be the case when Home Information Packs are introduced from 1 June 2007.

All land and property ownership in England and Wales should be registered at the Land Registry. Your title may not be registered if ownership of the property has not changed for some years. If this is the case, you should apply voluntarily to have your title registered. The benefits to doing so are:

• The extent of your property will be shown on a Land Registry filed plan, so you will have security and certainty as to what you own
• The Land Registry guarantees your title; it is protected by being part of a public register
• It holds your title electronically, which means that there are no deeds which can be lost and you can get copies online, when required
• It will simplify any subsequent transactions, whether in your lifetime, or by your executors in the event of your death.

Susan Ellis comments: “Currently, if your title is unregistered, you need to keep your property deeds safe and have to use these to ‘prove’ your title. Each individual document is important. If they are lost or are incomplete in any way then this can cause difficulties, delays and expense when you come to sell. Registration simplifies this for you, and provides you with certainty and security at a time of stress”.

Wards offer a fixed fee of £90 plus vat for property registration, plus the Land Registry fee. The latter is currently being offered at a 25% discount on the usual fee, to encourage voluntary registration.