For the first time since 2009, Land Registry registration fees will be increasing from 31st January this year. This will apply to all first registrations, registrations of transfers, leases and mortgages, as well as changes of trustees and surrenders of leases.

The increases in the fees will range between 11% for those applications submitted to the Land Registry electronically and 21% for those submitted by post. For example, the fee to register the transfer of a registered property worth between £100,001 and £200,000 will increase from £95 to £100, whilst the registration fee for a transfer of part of a registered title (most commonly encountered with new-build properties) within the same price range will increase from £190 to £230.

The increase in fees followed a spending review that announced an increase in Land Registry spending over the next three years to £384.7m in 2024/5.  According to a spokesperson though, this will not provide the Land Registry with additional income but rather covers approved spending plans.

The Land Registry, which is funded by user charges via the Treasury, state on their website that:

The fee increase allows HM Land Registry to move forward with plans to deliver what customers need – more consistency and speed in service delivery by investing in both operational capacity and accelerating the digitalisation and automation of services.

In addition to the increases in registration fees, there will also be some minor changes to fees for other Land Registry services as follows:

  1. The fee for applications for an entry on a title register relating to Right to Manage companies under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 will be £20 when lodged electronically and £40 when lodged by post. This is by way of clarification rather than an actual fee change.

  2. The fees for obtaining historical copies of the register of title for a property will now be the same as the for current official copies of a register of title i.e. £3 electronically and £7 by post.

  3. No fee will be payable for applications to note disclaimers of properties made by liquidators, the Treasury Solicitor, and trustees in bankruptcy against registers of title.

  4. No fee will be payable when the death of a sole proprietor is noted against a title, whereas before 21st January this fee exemption has only applied to noting the death of a joint proprietor.

Given that some Land Registry applications are now taking in excess of 10 months to be considered, any improvements to their service will be welcomed by conveyancers, client and mortgage lenders alike.

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