Personal applications to land registers
A solicitor usually fills in any forms to land registers on your behalf because land and property ownership issues can be hard to understand.
Some people want to fill in the forms themselves to tell Land Registry or Registry of Deeds about changes to their personal details, property ownership or if a mortgage has been paid off. This is called making a personal application.
Even if you decide to fill in a form yourself, you will often need a solicitor to sign parts of the application especially any supporting documents.
Help from land registers
Land registers cannot take the place of a solicitor who will give you advice or complete an application for you. However, information is available to help you tell Land Registry:
- if you have paid off your mortgage and your bank or building society has sent you a release for registration
- if your name or address has changed
- for some other personal applications
Clearing your mortgage
If you have cleared your mortgage payments and your bank or building society has sent you a letter and document for registration, you need to tell land registers. This signed document confirming you have paid off your mortgage debt is called ‘a release’.
You need to be clear which land register you need to register with, either Land Registry or the Registry of Deeds.
If your original deeds were registered at Land Registry, the document is called a charge. If registered at the Registry of Deeds, the document is called a mortgage.
Registering ‘a charge’ release
You register a charge at Land Registry by
- filling in an Application for Registration Form 100A
- paying £20 fee
- sending the charge deed with the signed or sealed release by lender
- sending copy of the letter sent to you from lender
- sending certified copy of Power of Attorney if your release has been signed using a Power of Attorney
You can check the registration of the ‘release’ is correct by obtaining a copy folio, this costs £11 and is available by visiting one of the LPS offices.
Registering a mortgage vacate or release
You register confirmation of your mortgage payment which is called ‘a vacate’ at the Registry of Deeds. Sometimes the original mortgage deed is not available at the Registry of Deeds and a stand alone release is signed by the lender and will be recorded as a separate note.
You can register your vacate or stand alone release at Registry of Deeds by
- filling in RD Form 2 Application to Accompany Deed (for a vacate)
- filling in RD Form 1 Application to Accompany Deed (You must also send this form along with your RD Form 2 if you are sending a stand alone release)
- Sending a £10 fee for a vacate or £15 for a stand alone release
- sending certified copy of Power of Attorney if your vacate or stand alone release has been signed using a Power of Attorney
When the registration is complete the original document will be returned to you marked with a unique reference and barcode as evidence of registration. You should keep this document in a safe place.
Reporting name or address changes
If you want to register a change of name or address with Land Registry, you will need to fill in an Application for Registration Form 100A. You will also need a solicitor to complete a certificate for you.
Sample certificates and further guidance can be found at
Land Registry charge a fee of £90 for this service.
When your registration is complete, your record of ownership and your ‘folio’ will be updated. You can check the registration is correct by obtaining a copy folio. This costs £11 and is available by contacting one of the LPS offices.
If your property is registered at the Registry of Deeds you will not be able to update your name and address. Change of name or address applications can only be made to the Land Registry.
Other personal applications
It is possible to lodge a personal application for a Transfer, Release of Personal Charge, Release of Burden, a Transfer by personal representatives or a Lease. However, you should take advice from a solicitor before signing these important and complex legal documents.
A solicitor will need to witness signatures to these documents, if the signatures are not witnessed by a solicitor you will need to provide a solicitor’s certificate.
You may need to confirm your identity for some personal applications. You will need a solicitor to sign a Land Registry Solicitor’s Certificate.
Once your property information or folio is updated, the deed is kept by Land Registry.
The fee for this service varies but more information can be found at LPS Registrations Fees.
Bankruptcy
If your bankruptcy debt has been paid you will receive a document called a ‘vacate’ of a bankruptcy petition. This will be stamped by the court official known as the Bankruptcy Master. You should apply to the Registry of Deeds to register this ‘vacate’.
To register the ‘vacate’, you need to fill in a RD Form 2 Application to Accompany Deed and send the original ‘vacate’. This service costs £10.
When registration is complete the vacate will be returned to you marked with a unique reference/barcode as evidence of registration. You should keep this document in a safe place.
Payment
You cannot complete a personal application online.
For Land Registry applications, send your forms, cheque, and any supporting documents to the Land Registry headquarters.
Cheques should be payable to DoF General Account. Land Registry can take 6-8 weeks to process your application if you send all the right documents and the right fee.
For Registry of Deeds applications, you must send your forms, cheque and supporting documents to the Registry of Deeds at Land Registry headquarters.
Cheques should be payable to DoF General Account. Registry of Deeds can take 1-2 weeks to process your application if you send all the right documents and the right fee.