Land Registry – Delays and digitisation
10 February 2025
Land Registry – Delays and digitisation Chat (10.02.2025): https://youtu.be/kROTRNXejYQ
‘HM Land Registry safeguards land and property ownership valued at £8 trillion, enabling over £1 trillion worth of personal and commercial lending to be secured against property across England and Wales.’ *
With this level of responsibility, a properly functioning Land Registry is central to the property market in the UK. This has become even more important with the government’s announcement on 9 February of a 12-week project aiming to move forward with digitisation of the home buying and selling process.
HM Land Registry gives a state guarantee of title and ‘UK plc’ is dependent on this stability. In recent times, HM Land Registry has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons – staff are working to rule and processing registration of titles is still slower than it should be. So, should we be worried?
Two years on from his first appearance on the Conveyancing Matters podcast, Mike Harlow, the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Customer and Strategy, returns for a wide-ranging chat. From the outset Mike faces challenging questions from Lorraine and Stu.
Stu jumps in at the deep end by asking Mike about the industrial action by HM Land Registry staff that is currently taking place and Lorraine asks Mike why a straightforward registration can take 12 weeks to process.
Mike is honest in his appraisal but also reminds conveyancing firms that they must ‘play fair’ when applying to speed up a registration application (known as ‘expediting’ an application). He says that ‘Queue jumping is not a dirty word if the queue jumping is done for the right reason.’
The conversation moved on to other areas of significance to conveyancing lawyers and everyone involved with the property market, including digitisation, the increased use of technology in the property market and where liability lies in the event of hacking. As Lorraine said: ‘The L word – liability – is the key for a lot of people.’
The continually vexed question of conveyancing delays came up along with a discussion about whether it is realistic to compare England and Wales with Norway where it takes an average of 3 weeks to buy a house. Lenders and cultural issues have a significant part of play in the time it takes to complete a conveyancing transaction in this country.
Mike reinforces that HM Land Registry’s role is to keep the property market moving – key services for conveyancers did not stop, even during covid. And he is fully aware that speed of service by HM Land Registry is the most important thing.
Recruitment and training are up at the Land Registry and Mike is confident that by the end of March, the oldest Land Registry cases will be below 12 months and declining.
Stuart and Lorraine look forward to inviting Mike back at the end of the year to hold him to account!
Stuart said:
It is great to welcome Mike back to Conveyancing Matters. What I appreciate most as a law firm owner is Mike’s statement that HM Land Registry serves law firms, their customers and their clients.
Lorraine said:
As ever, Mike is open and obliging in his responses and makes it clear that speed of service is a key driver for HM Land Registry. HM Land Registry’s position is central to the digitisation of the conveyancing process and I hope that front line conveyancers will be consulted and listened to. Law firms will also want to know where liability lies in the event of hacking – Mike and his team will hopefully keep the door open to all conveyancers who are best placed to comment and shape this process.
* Statistics from ‘HM Land Registry – About Us’: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry/about
Link to government announcement (09.02.2025): https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-buying-and-selling-to-become-quicker-and-cheaper
Link to blog by Simon Law, Society of Licensed Conveyancers chairperson (19.11.2024): https://www.conveyancers.org.uk/news/slc-chairperson-simon-law-issues-a-statement-on-land-registry-requisition-issue/
Conveyancing Matters Networking Event 13th November 2024
Another fantastic Conveyancing Matters Live event last week in the heart of London!
Lorraine and Stu welcomed a wide range of guests from the property sector all of whom had a great time networking and relaxing with a drink or two.
There was a lively discussion about the challenges that conveyancers and agents continue to face with the Material Information requirements and the Law Society's amendments to the Property Information Form.
Lorraine and Stu would like to thank our fantastic sponsor, Gavin from The Search Bureau.
There will be events in 2025 - so watch out for the dates!
Conveyancing Matters Live - 12th June
A fantastic turnout for Conveyancing Matters Live in Essex on the 12th June.
Stuart and Lorraine really enjoyed it!
LOTS of chat and discussion about Material Information and the updated Property Information Form with a great mix of estate agents, conveyancers and mortgage brokers.
Thanks to all!
June 2024 - Conveyancing Matters Live
Wednesday 12th June - 6pm - 9pm
The Red Door, 131 High Street, Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 7QA
Just click on “Live Events” at the top of this page to purchase. Alternatively tickets are free for our annual individual subscribers, and corporate subscriptions get 3 free tickets to al lour live events.
Property Reporter Awards 2024
Conveyancing Matters has been shortlisted for an award at the Property Reported Awards 2024 - Best Education Provider
Chat with Mike Harlow, Deputy Chief Land Registrar at H M Land Registry
In a recent Conveyancing Matters, Stu Forsdike and I asked whether HMLR had lost its way in the light of some of the processing times and a blog which ruffled some conveyancing feathers
We are delighted that Mike Harlow, Deputy Chief Land Registrar, took the time to come and talk to us about the recent controversy and to discuss many other issues with us
Watch the chat here: https://youtu.be/fxNPQ4Ym1og
Mike addresses head on the criticisms of his recent post and makes it clear to conveyancers that his comments on HMLR registration queries were not intended to point the finger of blame. But in addition, Mike talks about HMLR innovation, support for conveyancing firms, fraud and a host of other topics!
We hope that Stu and I asked the questions that conveyancers want answering!
Mike also said that he will take away some of our suggestions for consideration – we will keep you posted!
Mike was generous with his time and we had a wide ranging chat which we hope that all conveyancers and those working in the industry will find insightful
Conveyancing Matters LIVE - 22nd Feb 2023
Our next Conveyancing Matters LIVE event is almost upon us.
The launch event for our new Conveyancing Matters Members Subscription
Tickets to our live events are free if you sign up to our Annual Subscription, or head over to the live events part of our website where tickets can be purchased for just the live event.
Conveyancing Matters LIVE - November 2022
The event will attract 2 CPD hours / CLC points and they will be talking about a common conveyancing problem – pre-contract enquiries and how conveyancers can deal with the issues arising.
Tickets available on the Live Events section of our website.
Contact us directly to get a discounted rate if you are purchasing more than 4 tickets.
Conveyancing Matters LIVE
Stu and Lorraine are thrilled to be bringing their chats out on the road.
The first event taking place on the 25th July and there will be more events to follow
Implications of the Russian Sanctions for Conveyancers
With the recent sanctions that have been put in place against some Russian interests, in light of the current conflict in Ukraine, we have put together some hints and tips for coal face conveyancers as to how their work might be impacted. In this explainer Conveyancing Matters chat, we consider what the SRA, Law Society and CLC have said about sanctions and the steps that law firms should take. We go on to consider how sanctions might impact on firm’s AML and due diligence processes.
Click below to download the handout.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/yGHrUHhqOM0
ESTAS AWARDS 2021
Stu and Lorraine we really pleased to attend the 2021 ESTAS awards at the Grosvenor Park Hotel.
Before the awards, Conveyancing Matters caught up with ESTAS founder Simon Brown and sales director Ben Marley to discuss what the ESTAS are all about: https://youtu.be/ERG7OBnkbcE
Russell Quirk gives his view on conveyancers and conveyancing
https://youtu.be/PRBfFPAp-ek
Russell Quirk to chat with Conveyancing Matters
Really pleased that property expert, Russell Quirk, will be chatting with Stu and Lorraine.
Russell has lots of opinions, some of which are controversial. We will be chatting about his views on conveyancing, and in particular his view on conveyancers.
Take a look at his provocative article published in Property Industry Eye (July 27th 2020) -
https://propertyindustryeye.com/law-unto-themselves/
Take a look at Stu and Lorraine’s initial “Response to Quirky Views on Conveyancers…” -