Land Registry questions

TomLeBon

Hello @Land_Registry ,

Hoping you might be able to give me some clarity on a timescale to resolve a land registry issue with my vendor’s leasehold property, as well as any advice on how to help expedite the process if possible.

My partner and I are currently in the process of buying our first home. We have agreed a price with a vendor, instructed solicitors and had surveys done. The house is a leasehold property. Approximately 4 weeks ago, our solicitors informed us of the following:

“There is currently an issue with the legal title in that there are two titles open for the property, one of which should have been closed.  In order to close the title, the seller’s solicitor needs to liaise with the landlord of the lease at that time (Stevenage Borough Council) so that they can arrange for the title to be closed at the Land Registry.  Due to the nature of this and the involvement of third parties, we cannot say how long this will take to resolve – it may be a matter of weeks or months.“

Apparently the house was purchased by the current owner under a shared ownership scheme with Stevenage Borough Council, which the owner subsequently bought the council out of. The vendors say that they have supplied all documentation required to Stevenage Borough Council and to the Land Registry around 2 weeks ago.

In your experience, do you have an indication on how long issues like this take to resolve? Is there anything myself or my solicitors can do to expedite the process?

Thanks,

Tom

Land_Registry

TomLeBon said:

Hello @Land_Registry ,

Hoping you might be able to give me some clarity on a timescale to resolve a land registry issue with my vendor’s leasehold property, as well as any advice on how to help expedite the process if possible.

My partner and I are currently in the process of buying our first home. We have agreed a price with a vendor, instructed solicitors and had surveys done. The house is a leasehold property. Approximately 4 weeks ago, our solicitors informed us of the following:

“There is currently an issue with the legal title in that there are two titles open for the property, one of which should have been closed.  In order to close the title, the seller’s solicitor needs to liaise with the landlord of the lease at that time (Stevenage Borough Council) so that they can arrange for the title to be closed at the Land Registry.  Due to the nature of this and the involvement of third parties, we cannot say how long this will take to resolve – it may be a matter of weeks or months.“

Apparently the house was purchased by the current owner under a shared ownership scheme with Stevenage Borough Council, which the owner subsequently bought the council out of. The vendors say that they have supplied all documentation required to Stevenage Borough Council and to the Land Registry around 2 weeks ago.

In your experience, do you have an indication on how long issues like this take to resolve? Is there anything myself or my solicitors can do to expedite the process?

Thanks,

Tom

A few months wait at least unless they've requested expedition - Request an expedite - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If they've done that then generally speaking it get's it to the processing start line with 10 days. Everything then hinges on it being in order. Your conveyancer should be able to confirm the specific details re expedition and what stage it's at for you

Land_Registry

Gettingalife said:

Hi @Land_Registry,

please could you advise on the current approximate time for a Deed of Rectification (on a lease) to be registered once all the paperwork has been provided to Land Registry?

All depends on what they are attempting to rectify. If you are asking I assume there's an urgency involved such as a sale so ask the conveyancer to request expedition to ensure any wait time is as short as possible Request an expedite - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
But please remember that expedition is no magic wand and whilst it usually starts the processing swiftly everything then hinges on the application being in order. 

Co_Avalon

Hi @Land_Registry we are hoping you will be able to help as we seem to be stuck!

My sister and I are first time buyers, our purchase seems to have come to a complete standstill as we have been waiting on one enquiry since April. 

It appears there is an old leasehold title that needs to be removed from the freehold title? 

'a.(i) Your client is the registered proprietor of, and is transferring to our client, both the Freehold title HP555866 and the Leasehold title HP278735. As your client owns the Freehold title we do require them to explain with entry 1 of the Charges Register of the Freehold title refers to a Lease dated 20 January 1875 filed under title number HP167856 rather than the Lease dated 27 July 1921 referred to at entry 2 of the Property Register of the Leasehold title. 
(ii) If the Lease dated 20 January 1875 filed under title number HP167856 has been determined please arrange for cancellation of the notice of this Lease from the Freehold title.

b. Please provide evidence/confirmation from HM Land Registry that the register of title and filed plan for title HP167856 are not available.

C. (i) This is relevant to the title your client owns, as they own the Freehold title. As such please explain why the Lease dated 27 July 1921 referred to at entry 2 of the Property Register of the Leasehold title is not noted against the Freehold title.
(ii) If the Lease dated 20 January 1875 filed under title number HP167856 has been determined and notice of this Lease is cancelled from the Freehold title please ensure that the Lease dated 27 July 1921 referred to at entry 2 of the Property Register of the Leasehold title is noted against the Freehold title and please provide an up to date official copy of the Freehold register of title confirming this.'

We have been told this was expedited, our mortgage offer runs out next month so we are really keen to get this moving. 

We'd be really grateful if you could tell us what actually needs to be done, and if you could provide a timeline of how long this may take? 

Thank you.

Land_Registry

Co_Avalon said:

Hi @Land_Registry we are hoping you will be able to help as we seem to be stuck!

My sister and I are first time buyers, our purchase seems to have come to a complete standstill as we have been waiting on one enquiry since April. 

It appears there is an old leasehold title that needs to be removed from the freehold title? 

'a.(i) Your client is the registered proprietor of, and is transferring to our client, both the Freehold title HP555866 and the Leasehold title HP278735. As your client owns the Freehold title we do require them to explain with entry 1 of the Charges Register of the Freehold title refers to a Lease dated 20 January 1875 filed under title number HP167856 rather than the Lease dated 27 July 1921 referred to at entry 2 of the Property Register of the Leasehold title. 
(ii) If the Lease dated 20 January 1875 filed under title number HP167856 has been determined please arrange for cancellation of the notice of this Lease from the Freehold title.

b. Please provide evidence/confirmation from HM Land Registry that the register of title and filed plan for title HP167856 are not available.

C. (i) This is relevant to the title your client owns, as they own the Freehold title. As such please explain why the Lease dated 27 July 1921 referred to at entry 2 of the Property Register of the Leasehold title is not noted against the Freehold title.
(ii) If the Lease dated 20 January 1875 filed under title number HP167856 has been determined and notice of this Lease is cancelled from the Freehold title please ensure that the Lease dated 27 July 1921 referred to at entry 2 of the Property Register of the Leasehold title is noted against the Freehold title and please provide an up to date official copy of the Freehold register of title confirming this.'

We have been told this was expedited, our mortgage offer runs out next month so we are really keen to get this moving. 

We'd be really grateful if you could tell us what actually needs to be done, and if you could provide a timeline of how long this may take? 

Thank you.

The conveyancer asked us to consider amending the freehold title in the belief that there has been an error. They contacted us at the end of June and the requested amendment is waiting to be processed.
It's been escalated (Amendments aren't expedited in same way as other applications) so hopefully it won't be too much longer before the casework team have reviewed the request and provided a response. 

Croccy22

Land_Registry said:

Croccy22 said:

Land_Registry said:

Croccy22 said:

Hi @Land_Registry

After you helped last time we are now in our new house , but we are now trying to get the sale of our flat to go through. Within the last couple of months we got our solicitors to extend the lease and also do a land transfer of a part of the garden. It was then requested that the few titles for the property all got merged into one title. The solicitors requested this to be expedited quite a while ago (apparently) but we still haven't heard anything and our buyers are currently renting and need to move before the end of this month.

Are you able to check where we are with this process and if there is an idea of when it would be completed? I'm guessing there will be a new title at the end of it, but one of the titles involved is DN226121 if that helps locate the file.

Thansk for your help. Matt.

Hi Matt - last action from our end was a request for more information from us from the conveyancer on 10th June. As yet we haven't received a reply.
Hopefully your conveyancer can confirm and clarify when they expect to be able to respond in full to that request
If by 'we still haven't heard anything' you mean the conveyancer as well and they don't have our request of the 10th please ask them to contact us through their normal direct and secure channel to clarify

I have just spoken to my solicitor and she says they replied to your request on the 20th June via the reply to requisition portal ref ICBBD42?

Can you confirm that you have recieved that reply? She says there were 4 points that needed to be confirmed and all 4 were confirmed.

Thanks, Matt.

ICBBD42 relates to a second and attached application (transfer of part) lodged by the same firm. Their reply of the 20th was to a request raised on 18th June
The application I was referring to was ICBBD40 (the new lease) and a request dated 10th June which has 6 request points 
Hope that helps

Hi @Land_Registry,

I have been informed by my solicitor that all the enquiries have now been answered as of Tuesday.

Can you confirm this is the case and that you have everything you need now? Do you have any idea when this will be processed as it's the only thing holding up our house sale now and the new owners really want to move on the 31st otherwise they will have to extend their London rent

Thanks in advance, Matt.

Land_Registry

Croccy22 said:

Land_Registry said:

Croccy22 said:

Land_Registry said:

Croccy22 said:

Hi @Land_Registry

After you helped last time we are now in our new house , but we are now trying to get the sale of our flat to go through. Within the last couple of months we got our solicitors to extend the lease and also do a land transfer of a part of the garden. It was then requested that the few titles for the property all got merged into one title. The solicitors requested this to be expedited quite a while ago (apparently) but we still haven't heard anything and our buyers are currently renting and need to move before the end of this month.

Are you able to check where we are with this process and if there is an idea of when it would be completed? I'm guessing there will be a new title at the end of it, but one of the titles involved is DN226121 if that helps locate the file.

Thansk for your help. Matt.

Hi Matt - last action from our end was a request for more information from us from the conveyancer on 10th June. As yet we haven't received a reply.
Hopefully your conveyancer can confirm and clarify when they expect to be able to respond in full to that request
If by 'we still haven't heard anything' you mean the conveyancer as well and they don't have our request of the 10th please ask them to contact us through their normal direct and secure channel to clarify

I have just spoken to my solicitor and she says they replied to your request on the 20th June via the reply to requisition portal ref ICBBD42?

Can you confirm that you have recieved that reply? She says there were 4 points that needed to be confirmed and all 4 were confirmed.

Thanks, Matt.

ICBBD42 relates to a second and attached application (transfer of part) lodged by the same firm. Their reply of the 20th was to a request raised on 18th June
The application I was referring to was ICBBD40 (the new lease) and a request dated 10th June which has 6 request points 
Hope that helps

Hi @Land_Registry,

I have been informed by my solicitor that all the enquiries have now been answered as of Tuesday.

Can you confirm this is the case and that you have everything you need now? Do you have any idea when this will be processed as it's the only thing holding up our house sale now and the new owners really want to move on the 31st otherwise they will have to extend their London rent

Thanks in advance, Matt.

I can confirm that a reply has been received. Whether that's a sufficient reply will be up to the casework team. The reply and case are being considered by them so hopefully you will know soon whether everything is resolved or if more is required.
DM me on Monday to check for an update

casperlarue

@Land_Registry

Hello, could you help with a query on a first registration for a house? Assuming a straightforward first registration, all deeds and documents in place, how long should it take for a freehold house to be registered? I have been waiting since Feb 2023 for my mums house to be registered, so far .... nothing!

Land_Registry

casperlarue said:

@Land_Registry

Hello, could you help with a query on a first registration for a house? Assuming a straightforward first registration, all deeds and documents in place, how long should it take for a freehold house to be registered? I have been waiting since Feb 2023 for my mums house to be registered, so far .... nothing!

The average wait time is around 14months at present so your wait is about right. The application and ownership are protected so often it's a case of bearing with us and waiting for the confirmation to be issued. 

Southend_2

Hi @Land_Registry. Our purchase has finally appeared on the land registry data feed after almost a year. However the transaction date is incorrect (out by a week). Is this important? Should we contact our solicitors to try to get it corrected? Nobody from the solicitors or land registry have been in touch yet to confirm the registration. I guess it would be solicitors who are supposed to inform us? Title number is AA24166.