HM Land Registry delays

All solicitors are experiencing significant delays at the Land Registry with registration of transfers of property on purchase, re-mortgages and straight forward transfers. The problem is endemic, and it is down to the fact that there has been no investment into the Land Registry infrastructure for many years.

The Land Registry has 20,000 applications to registered changes of ownership or re-mortgages and only 7,000 employees. It is taking up to 2 years to register alterations to title documents and at least a year for first time registrations.

The problem flares up when parties in short time decide to re-sell the property recently purchased and their ownership is yet to be registered at Land Registry. We have many complaints from clients who believe that the delay Is due to our failure to action registration but that is not the case.