Voluntary Registration of Unregistered Land

Over 80% of land in England and Wales is now registered with the Land Registry, meaning there is a clear, permanent electronic record of who owns what. Where land has not been registered, we refer to this as being ‘unregistered’ whereby ownership to the land is evidenced by paper deeds only. Whilst there is nothing wrong with owning land in this way, it is not ideal and can be potentially problematic if you were to lose the only thing which proves your ownership of a Property.

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Why should you ensure your land is registered?

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Once a Property has been registered with the Land Registry it can bring significant benefits, some of which are listed below;

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Registration creates a clear and permanent record of ownership which includes an identifiable title plan which details any matters which affect the Property;

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Registered land is much easier to deal with which means any subsequent transactions will be cheaper, quicker and a lot more efficient;

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Registered land can be valued quicker and inexpensively;

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Registered titles are protected under a Government guarantee;

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Boundary disputes are also a lot less common and are less costly to deal with because the legal position is clear once the title has been registered;

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Adverse Possession (Squatter’s rights) claims are less common and much easier to quash.

Sounds great, how can I get my land registered?

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It is possible to ‘voluntarily’ register your land with the Land Registry, whereby either yourself or a Solicitor would put together an application for ‘First Registration’. There is a fee when registering land at the Land Registry but a reduced fee is applied when the title is being registered voluntarily.

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There are certain circumstances, known as ‘triggering events’ when registration becomes compulsory, such as a sale, a transfer in ownership (including on inheritance or a change in trustees), a creation of a charge/mortgage.
For further information in respect of voluntary first registrations or in order to obtain a quotation, please do not hesitate to contact us directly at the Syston Office on 0116 40286688

The information provided in all of our blogs reflects only a narrative of some elements to consider on the topic.  The blogs do not contain considered legal advice and should not be relied upon as advice. Please see our website terms and conditions for full details of our disclaimer.  If you are interested in obtaining advice, please contact one of our lawyers who will be happy and able to advise you on your own particular circumstances.