In England and Wales currently there are two ways that land is held. It is either registered land or unregistered land. If your land is registered, the title to your land is held electronically at the Land Registry. If your land is unregistered, the title to your land will be in deeds dating back several years.
‘Title’ means the rights in a property, and may be owned by more than one party
The Land Registry is trying to ensure that all land in England and Wales is registered. When unregistered land is sold or transferred, it is compulsory to register it. However you don’t have to wait until you sell your property to register it. You can voluntarily register your property at any time and there are many compelling reasons for doing so.
Once your land is registered to you, the security of this is guaranteed by the government, so you no longer need to worry about losing deeds. It is much simpler to prove your title as it can be downloaded electronically from the Land Registry.
The extent of your property will be shown clearly on a plan, which can help protect against possible boundary disputes in the future
Registered land offers more protection against squatters, as it is harder to claim adverse possession against registered land than unregistered land. It also helps guard against fraudsters who might try to register the land in their name without your knowledge.
Finally, when you do decide to sell your property, the whole process should be swifter if the land is already registered. Any defects or issues with your deeds will have been brought to light on this first registration and can be dealt with. This is much better than trying to deal with them during the sale process.
If you need help in ensuring that your land is registered, contact Lisa Friel on 01827 317074 or lfriel@pickerings-solicitors.com.
