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‘Title’, or Land Registry searches, are compulsory property searches when buying a house. When you buy and sell property, legal ownership is transferred from one person to another, and this must be registered at the Land Registry. This is undertaken as part of the conveyancing process so whether you are buying with a mortgage, or are a cash buyer, they are essential.
What is the Land Registry?
The Land Registry is a government led department which stores all information on land and property ownership in England and Wales. It contains records of named owners, mortgage and leasehold information, and property boundaries.
What are Land Registry searches?
The Land Registry documentation sets out the details of the registered owner (i.e. the seller). The search is completed so that the legal ownership of the property is confirmed. It also checks for any existing mortgages or charges against the property, as well as providing information on property boundaries and any rights of way or other restrictions that may apply.
What information does the Land Registry hold?
Title Register
This provides key information about the financial and ownership history of the property, including:
Previous owners
Price paid at purchase
Any charges or debts registered against the property
Details on rights of way through the property
Title Plan
The title plan is a map of the location of the property and its general boundaries. This clarifies the extent of the property’s grounds, preventing any encroachment from neighbouring properties onto your land.
How to register your property at the Land Registry
There are multiple forms you need to complete, and there will usually be a fee to pay. If using a conveyancer for your purchase, they will provide all the forms and communicate with you through the process. They’ll also take care of registering the change of ownership with the Land Registry upon completion.
If you’re buying a house and need a conveyancer to act on your behalf, use our online calculator to get an instant quote.
Other updates to the Land Registry
As the land registry needs to be informed of all updates that affect property ownership, there are other times you may need a conveyancer to help.
When transferring equity, you alter the legal ownership by adding or removing a person from the title of the home, find out more about what a transfer of equity is, or watch our video guide to the transfer of equity process.
When remortgaging a property, you will need to update the land registry with your new lender’s information. Find out more about the remortgage conveyancing process.
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