When you invest in a home, you will be making one of the more significant financial decisions in your life. And you don’t want to fall victim to the many fraudsters that take advantage of home buyers and owners. For that reason, try to ensure that the property you buy meets everything in your land due diligence checklist. That is where the land registry UK department comes in.
What Is the UK Land Registry?
The Land Registry in the UK is a government department that registers land ownership in England and Wales and protects property worth $7 trillion. It keeps a record of 87% of all land in Wales and England.
Many people perform a land registry title deed search when buying or selling property. Through the website, you can also register an unregistered property or ensure the new owner of land or property registers it properly.
Also, when taking out a mortgage or leasing a property, you can file a record that shows your interest concerning the property. The information you obtain from the registry can also help you determine what rights other parties have concerning and the priority their rights are given.
It is also worth noting that the land registry title deeds are digital. However, when you register a property for the first time, you will receive a paper copy of the deed, and the land registry department will scan a copy of it for its own records.
Uses of the Land Registry Search UK Portal
The UK land registry has an online portal that archives relevant information concerning property in England and Wales, making it a valuable tool for anyone looking to conduct property transactions. Below are some of the things you can obtain using the land registry UK gov search portal.
General Property Information
When you do a land registry title search, you can find important information concerning the property you are interested in buying or leasing, such as its title register, summary and plan. That means you can determine the property’s title number, who the current owner is, what rights people have concerning the property, and payments or debts associated with it.
Based on this information, you can determine how old your home is, whether the current seller is the genuine owner, and if the land or house still has any debts that someone must pay off.
Land Registry Title Plan
The land registry title plan will show your property’s location and general boundaries. However, the land registry compliant plan does not have an exact record of the boundaries between two neighbors or who owns a dividing feature, such as a hedge.
If you are a landowner or farmer, getting a legal map drawing that shows the lay of land based on an official land survey is important. And a chartered land surveyor can help you with this. Such a map will come in handy when you think there has been a mistake with your UK property or a dispute arises.
Alternatively, you can create a boundary agreement with your neighbor. You can agree on where the boundaries are and who is responsible for the dividing feature.
Land Titles
The land registry information, such as the title number, will enable you to apply for the official copies of land title deeds for any property you own or buy. With the land title deeds, you will have legal proof of ownership.
Land Value Estimates
You can use any land value calculator UK sites offer to estimate the price of the land or property you desire. But the registry website also provides estimates for each area and simplifies the estimation process for you. These values will come in handy during appraisals.
However, you need to know that the land value estimates may not represent the current market values. But if you use land registry transactions and price-paid data, you may get a deeper insight into your property’s actual worth.
How to Use the Land Registry to Get the Property Deed
When you decide to buy land or property, using the land registry can help. Below are tips you can implement to get the property deed based on the information you find in the registry.
- If you have the property address, perform a land registry title search using that.
- If you don’t have the property address or the property fails to show up in the register, use the index map to find the details you need. You can use an ordnance survey map reference or any other plan identifying your property. And the Land Registry UK department can send you the title numbers you can then use for your search.
- For a history of property ownership and any restrictions concerning that property, pay attention to the title summary and register information.
- To understand the boundaries, opt for the title plan and a copy of deeds from the registry.
- If you need to prove property ownership in a dispute or for other reasons, download the application form for official document copies and pay the required fee to the land registry. The department then sends the documents you should fill out for processing.
- If you are buying a property free of debts, use a solicitor or conveyancer to help you obtain the title deed. However, you should consult a mortgage lender for mortgaged real estate.
Land registry information can help you in all aspects of real estate research. So, it is important to take the time and use the tool.
