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When people imagine their title documentation, they generally picture an old bundle of yellow, tatty papers held together by a piece of string.
Those days are almost over, with around 96% of property registered digitally with HM Land Registry; however, there is no guarantee that your property is registered.
If you do have an unregistered property, there are great benefits to registration.
Firstly, you don’t need to worry about where your title documents are, as copies of all relevant documents will be stored electronically by HM Land Registry.
Secondly, you get a 25% discount on the registration fees charged by HM Land Registry, meaning it is cheaper to register voluntarily than to wait until first registration is triggered (by lease, transfer, etc).
Finally, but most importantly, you needn’t worry about proving ownership of the property. If your property is unregistered and your title documents go missing or are destroyed you may struggle to prove your ownership of the property whatsoever; and when it does come to the registration of the property, you may only get given the lowest class of title: Possessory Title.
Possessory Title is open to claims by third parties that they are the true owners and can prevent lenders from offering mortgages on properties until ownership is upgraded, which can take 12 years.
As such, registration of your property is vital and thoroughly recommended.
Have a different question?
Get in touchVoluntary first registration is the process of officially registering your land or property with HM Land Registry before a triggering event – such as a sale, gift, or remortgage – makes it legally mandatory. Registering voluntarily creates a definitive digital record of your ownership, safeguarding your title against land loss, boundary disputes, and property fraud. It also ensures that old paper title deeds do not risk being lost, damaged, or destroyed over time. Furthermore, HM Land Registry offers a 25% discount on its official registration fees for applications submitted on a voluntary basis.
Our residential property solicitors examine your original paper title deeds and bundle documentation to construct an uninterrupted chain of ownership dating back through the property’s history. We verify rights of way, covenants, and restrictions before preparing the required Land Registry forms and scale boundary plans. Our team then submits the application directly to HM Land Registry and handles any legal requisitions or enquiries raised by the registrar on your behalf. Once completed, your physical deeds are returned to you, and an official electronic Title Register and Title Plan are issued.
If your original paper title deeds have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, registering your property is still possible through a specialised Land Registry application. Our conveyancing team conducts thorough investigations – contacting previous solicitors, mortgage lenders, and archives – to locate any surviving records or copy deeds. Where paper evidence cannot be recovered, we help compile supporting evidence and draft a formal Statement of Truth detailing how the deeds were lost and proving your continuous possession and ownership. We then liaise with HM Land Registry to secure the best possible class of title for your property.
If you have any enquiries please contact any one of our specialist team who would be pleased to advise you on your options. You can also contact your lawyer individually from ‘Our People’ using the link below.
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