Is the Land Registry to be trusted?

CO_NO · 14 May 2018 at 6:48AM

I thought it would be useful to search the internet for my home address and discovered that my property had been sold last year. This was news to me! There appears to be a mix up between locally similar named properties. The property to which the change of interests refers is correctly marked on the Land Registry map but with the wrong name. Another neighbouring property on this map is also incorrectly spelt. This makes 3 errors locally. Is this a growing problem? Who is responsible for checking the validity of information in the LR Databases? Is it LR or the conveyancing Solicitor? Which Ministry does the LR come under?

Any information and advice appreciated.

00ec25 · 14 May 2018 at 7:24AM

There is an official rep from the Land Registry on these boards...

as for your factual questions, such as who do they come "under" - ever heard of Google?

da_rule · 14 May 2018 at 7:54AM

If you!!!8217;re worried it might be worth paying the £3 to download your title register so that you can check that everything is in order.

In relation to the information, from what I understand the companies that produce the maps (Zoopla etc) use the public database information released by the Land Registry. Therefore it may be that they have misinterpreted something when they!!!8217;ve input the information.

You can also set up property alerts on your property if you!!!8217;re worried that it might be susceptible to fraud.

Davesnave · 14 May 2018 at 7:55AM

Because you have "Land Registry" in your title, their rep is almost bound to see it and respond.

As the above poster says, they have their own dedicated thread, which could be permanently at the top of the first page, but MSE have not arranged things that way.

Spellings change, addresses alter and duplications occur. My own house and another 150m away had exactly the same address for 24 years until someone noticed. Even now, the council which ordered this to change cannot get their own collective heads around it.

In short, people make mistakes, so we can't trust them not to do that, but we can expect the LR to follow the law and act impartially.

davidmcn · 14 May 2018 at 8:19AM

CO_NO wrote: »

I thought it would be useful to search the internet for my home address and discovered that my property had been sold last year. This was news to me! There appears to be a mix up between locally similar named properties. The property to which the change of interests refers is correctly marked on the Land Registry map but with the wrong name. Another neighbouring property on this map is also incorrectly spelt

The fact it's correctly marked on the map is the important thing - that's what identifies the legal extent of the property, not the postal address.

If the only error is the spelling of the names, do you mean just on the map? If so that's an error in the Ordnance Survey map. If you mean on the Land Registry's database, I think the LR are meant to try to align those with the Royal Mail's address database (have you checked the Royal Mail's website to see if they've got it right?).

Also bear in mind that owners might change their house name without informing any of the authorities! Neither the LR nor the solicitors will be coming round to check the sign on the gate.

Which Ministry does the LR come under?

They do tell you on their website:

HM Land Registry is part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Chief Executive and Chief Land Registrar Graham Farrant is responsible to Secretary of State Greg Clark and Minister Lord Henley.

kingstreet · 14 May 2018 at 9:53AM

davidmcn wrote: »

the Royal Mail's address database (have you checked the Royal Mail's website to see if they've got it right?)

The bane of my life.

People inventing addresses for themselves and then having documents showing three different variations instead of the Royal Mail PAF search output, which can be found here;-

https://www.royalmail.com/find-a-postcode

CO_NO · 14 May 2018 at 10:44AM

I should have added that I did indeed pay to download both the Registry Current Title PLAN and the Register EXTRACT, the latter confirms the registered owner is not myself! TITLE ABSOLUTE is not myself.

Is there no Government Department that can be trusted?

davidmcn · 14 May 2018 at 10:50AM

CO_NO wrote: »

I should have added that I did indeed pay to download both the Registry Current Title PLAN and the Register EXTRACT, the latter confirms the registered owner is not myself! TITLE ABSOLUTE is not myself.

Well, who is it then? This isn't a mix-up between freehold and leasehold titles by any chance?

Is there no Government Department that can be trusted?

Er, yes. At best the LR can only go on the information provided to them, and it doesn't sound like you've yet verified what the problem is.

CO_NO · 14 May 2018 at 10:56AM

The LR do not independently check the information they are given then? Both properties are Freehold. No leashold involved.

silvercar · 14 May 2018 at 11:01AM

CO_NO wrote: »

I should have added that I did indeed pay to download both the Registry Current Title PLAN and the Register EXTRACT, the latter confirms the registered owner is not myself! TITLE ABSOLUTE is not myself.

Is there no Government Department that can be trusted?

Contact the solicitor that acted for you when you bought. You paid them to register your ownership of the property.

CO_NO · 14 May 2018 at 11:06AM

I am not the buyer. My home is named on the LR REGISTER but the PLAN refers to the correct property with another but similar name. My property has not changed hands and has nothing to do with anyone else.

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Is the Land Registry to be trusted?

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