Land Registry title expedited since July

syndrome_of_imposter

I accepted an offer on my apartment in July 2025 (now Nov for future readers), my apartment isn't registered due to buying it as a newbuild just 1 year ago, but I expedited it right away. I have been told that there are 2 titles in front of mine (TGL625486). After chasing the solicitors of those titles, they told me they have responded to all requisitions, but for some reason my application just isn't moving. It now looks like my apartment sale is about to fall through for the second time because of this and I could cry. 

My buyer called the land registry today to ask for an update and apparently they told him there are around 150 titles he is dependent on and that the estimated time for this one is September 2026! I just don't know what to do! I've asked him to give me today to see if that 2026 date is real, but no one can tell me if this process is days, weeks or indeed nearly a year away from completing. I'm holding up a chain of about 2 behind me and 2 in front and I alone will be losing our dream home that we have fallen in love with. Any advice from experience would be so appreciated so that we can know whether to just give up, or if we're right to keep pushing through the most stressful process I've ever been a part of.

user1977

If you didn’t need the transactions ahead of you to complete before you bought, why does your buyer? Isn’t the answer to either persuade them otherwise or find a less fussy buyer? I presume nobody’s aware of there being any actual problems with the title?

syndrome_of_imposter

user1977 said:

If you didn’t need the transactions ahead of you to complete before you bought, why does your buyer? Isn’t the answer to either persuade them otherwise or find a less fussy buyer? I presume nobody’s aware of there being any actual problems with the title?

I believe I cannot legally sell until my title is listed, to show that I owned it for ~1 year before selling it. The titles before mine are being registered for the first time too, but I don't know what needed to happen before I purchased. I believe the 2 holding it up are the Superior Leasehold and something else.

syndrome_of_imposter

Just to add, my solicitors have said that they WILL NOT under any circumstances, issue draft contracts until the registration has been made.

EssexHebridean

OK - a copy of your TP1(?) from the purchase will show that you've owned it for the requisite length of time. You may need to get that from the solicitor you used for the purchase. 

You might want to ask your buying solicitors to chase through that application as well - as it was presumably them that made the application for registration, technically it is also them that needs to expedite it. You might mention to them that you have heard that an expedite done using the "contact" form from the LR website currently seems to be getting a VERY speedy response - far quicker than doing it from the application itself in the portal...  

user1977

syndrome_of_imposter said:

Just to add, my solicitors have said that they WILL NOT under any circumstances, issue draft contracts until the registration has been made.

Same solicitors who acted for you when you bought?

In any event you probably need to get them to better explain why this problem has arisen. It isn’t the case that everybody has to down tools just because an earlier application is still being processed by the Land Registry.

syndrome_of_imposter

EssexHebridean said:

OK - a copy of your TP1(?) from the purchase will show that you've owned it for the requisite length of time. You may need to get that from the solicitor you used for the purchase. 

You might want to ask your buying solicitors to chase through that application as well - as it was presumably them that made the application for registration, technically it is also them that needs to expedite it. You might mention to them that you have heard that an expedite done using the "contact" form from the LR website currently seems to be getting a VERY speedy response - far quicker than doing it from the application itself in the portal...  

That's interesting. I'll have a look but I do think they will be tired of seeing my name pop up soon. I've emailed, called, raised a complaint. I don't want to annoy them but I feel like I'm just waiting for it to get under the nose of someone really helpful that can unblock it, hence throwing everything at it to see what sticks.

syndrome_of_imposter

user1977 said:

syndrome_of_imposter said:

Just to add, my solicitors have said that they WILL NOT under any circumstances, issue draft contracts until the registration has been made.

Same solicitors who acted for you when you bought?

In any event you probably need to get them to better explain why this problem has arisen. It isn’t the case that everybody has to down tools just because an earlier application is still being processed by the Land Registry.

My sale solicitors (Solicitor firm A) aren't the ones I bought the apartment with (Solicitor firm . Long story, but my partner is selling with solicitor A so I just went with the same to try and keep it all in one place. I've now enquired with Solicitor B to see if they'd be happy to get the legal work underway given they're aware that I own it without the registration.

EssexHebridean

You don't necessarily need to use firm B for the work of the sale - asking them to expedite the registration is simply asking them to complete the job you paid them for previously on the purchase. 

Land_Registry

EssexHebridean said:

OK - a copy of your TP1(?) from the purchase will show that you've owned it for the requisite length of time. You may need to get that from the solicitor you used for the purchase. 

You might want to ask your buying solicitors to chase through that application as well - as it was presumably them that made the application for registration, technically it is also them that needs to expedite it. You might mention to them that you have heard that an expedite done using the "contact" form from the LR website currently seems to be getting a VERY speedy response - far quicker than doing it from the application itself in the portal...  

Never ask the conveyancer to request expedition through the application itself. Their contact through that channel will only be seen when processing actually starts.
It's important that such requests are made through the dedicated contact form where there is a specific one for requesting expedition - Request an expedite - GOV.UK

EssexHebridean

Land_Registry said:

EssexHebridean said:

OK - a copy of your TP1(?) from the purchase will show that you've owned it for the requisite length of time. You may need to get that from the solicitor you used for the purchase. 

You might want to ask your buying solicitors to chase through that application as well - as it was presumably them that made the application for registration, technically it is also them that needs to expedite it. You might mention to them that you have heard that an expedite done using the "contact" form from the LR website currently seems to be getting a VERY speedy response - far quicker than doing it from the application itself in the portal...  

Never ask the conveyancer to request expedition through the application itself. Their contact through that channel will only be seen when processing actually starts.
It's important that such requests are made through the dedicated contact form where there is a specific one for requesting expedition - Request an expedite - GOV.UK

A lot DO use the route through the application though. That said, I was specifically suggesting to the OP that they subtly ensure that the conveyancer is aware of using the contact form - as otherwise the chances are they'll be waiting longer than they need to for precisely the reason I gave! (An awful lot of solicitors will get quite huffy if they perceive that a client is trying to "tell them how to do their job" - so sometimes a more subtle approach is better - particularly in a scenario where the matter is no long "live" in their eyes, and so will almost certainly get less enthusiastic attention than a current file.