Land Registry: frequency of updates?

Zorz_2

The property that I was a tenant in, was sold recently. As I intend to put a legal case against the new owner, it is imperative to find out the exact date of the sale (and hence, the date the new owner became my landlord).

I have been told a completion date by the management company of the building. This was communicated to them by the solicitors doing the sale. The date was 6 weeks ago (mid July) and coincides with some things that happened then, but of course it still is hearsay.

I am aware that for use as evidence in court, I need the form OC1 from Land Registry. The issue is, how often does Land Registry update its database? There is no point in paying to get a copy of the titles, only to find out that it contains the details of the previous leaseholder!

I've been checking at sold prices in Mouseprice and Zoopla. So far, they still only list the previous sale, from a few years back. I assume that when the Land Registry updates to include the recent sale, the changes will quickly propagate to the free databases. The question is, when is this supposed to happen?

And also, the Land Registry will have the date of completion? and is that the date the property officialy changes hands and the new owner gets all the rights and responsibilities (such as being liable for Council tax, becomes the landlord by assignment of the tenants in situ, etc)?

The property is a leasehold flat, located in England.

Winkle1908

Mine was sold 15th June and it appeared at the beginning of Aug on Zoopla etc, maybe around 4th. A house that sold before mine on the same street still isn't showing though.

I'm not sure if all houses appear on the Land registry sold prices or not, although I'm sure someone on here will advise.

G_M

The date recorded on the Land Registry Title is the Completion date is the date the new owner takes ownership.

The Land Registry records are updated (almost) immediatly. If the new owner sent the Transfer to the LR by post it would be within 12-24 hours of receipt (so a couple of days after Completion if sent 1st class).

Most solicitors, however, do this online, so the LR would receive the forms electronically on the date of Completion (or next day if Completion took place late in the day.)

Commercial sites like Zoopla buy copies of the LR database on a periodic basis, so their records will only be as up-to-date as the last time they bought a copy of the LR database. Maybe monthly. Or more or less frequently.

Richard_Webster

See comments below within quote:

The date recorded on the Land Registry Title is the Completion date is the date the new owner takes ownership.

Yes - it will generally say something like "The price paid on dd/mm/yyyy was £xxx,xxx.". The date immediately by the names of the new owner is the date of registration, which will be after the date of completion.

The Land Registry records are updated (almost) immediatly. If the new owner sent the Transfer to the LR by post it would be within 12-24 hours of receipt (so a couple of days after Completion if sent 1st class). yes, they are very quick and generally turn things round by post in a few days unless there is some complication, which is rare. However it is not that common for the application to be sent off on the day of completion as usually we have to wait for the TR1 to come in from the seller's solicitors which may take a day or two and then we also have to wait for notification that any mortgage has been discharged.

There is a six week priority window from the date of the OS1 search in which to register, so as long as it is done in that time there is no rush, particularly if solicitors are busy doing other things.

Most solicitors, however, do this online, so the LR would receive the forms electronically on the date of Completion (or next day if Completion took place late in the day.)

No, apart form mortgage lenders discharging mortgages it is not yet possible to register ordinary transfers electronically - we still have to send the paper documents!

Land_Registry

The comments made by Richard Webster are quite accurate and a fair reflection of the timescales involved.

As Richard implies there is no urgency attached to applying to Land Registry to change the details other than within the 6 week period he refers to. The completion process triggers the exchange of funds and resultant paperwork which is then lodged at Land Registry for registration.

Once an application is received at the Land Registry then providing it is all in order it can be completed on the same day as receipt and the Land Registry database updated immediately.

The data provided to third party websites is done on a monthly basis.

As such there can be up to 6 weeks between completion and registration. And an additional time lag between registration and the data appearing on third party sites.

G_M

Richard_Webster wrote: »

See comments below within quote: No, apart form mortgage lenders discharging mortgages it is not yet possible to register ordinary transfers electronically - we still have to send the paper documents!

Thanks for the correction Richard. I must have been confusing mortgage discharge with Transfer.

Though I'm taken aback. It IS the 21st Century! If the LR can handle electronic mortgage discharges why on earth can't they do electronic transfers....? (that's one for the Land Reg Rep!)

jjlandlord

If we're at criticizing the LR's IT skills, I find incomprehensible that their website shuts off the pay-for download of property titles during weekends... It's not like the computer is off for the weekend, is it?

Zorz_2

Thank you guys (and gals?)! :T

As we're now in the 7th week after completion, the LR database definitely should have recorded the sale.

Richard_Webster

Though I'm taken aback. It IS the 21st Century! If the LR can handle electronic mortgage discharges why on earth can't they do electronic transfers....? (that's one for the Land Reg Rep!)

There are only going to be a limited number of lenders sending these electronic messages so it is relatively easy for the LR to work out a secure system for doing this.

If all property transactions were to be done electronically then probably solicitors would be entrusted with digital signatures and they would "sign" the documents on behalf of their clents - with the issues that would bring. The LR started trying to pilot all that but there were lots of difficulties and issues and the government wasn't providing the money for it.

Generally the LR are sensible and do their best - like reducing their fees from 22 October! Pity government hasn't trusted them further rather than investing in the ridiculous HIPs fiasco.

Land_Registry

OP - although 7 weeks have passed that may still not be enough time for the conveyancer to have lodged the application to register, for it to have been completed and for the third party database to be updated.

There is no definitive timescale as explained previously and it could in theory take as long as 8 weeks before the conveyancer lodges the application, a further 6 weeks to complete the registration (something wrong with it when lodged) and then a further 6 weeks before it appears on any third party website depending on when in the month the registration was completed.

Such a delay of 20 weeks is rare but should not be ruled out and will often have little or nothing to do with IT issues.

G_M - we are well advanced with a range of e-services through Portal and the relatively new Business Gateway . The e-DRS service will also improve the number of applications which can be lodged electronically

Land_Registry

jjlandlord wrote: »

If we're at criticizing the LR's IT skills, I find incomprehensible that their website shuts off the pay-for download of property titles during weekends... It's not like the computer is off for the weekend, is it?

jjlandlord - You might be interested in sending us your comments online as to whether we are available when you need us - our customers often have varying views on such things but if you feel the service needs to be available for longer then let us know why