About Land Registry
HM Land Registry is the government department responsible for keeping and developing a register of title to freehold and leasehold land in England and Wales. It does this by registering title to land and recording dealings in land and property once these have been registered. The Land Register, currently comprising 19.5 million titles, has been open to public inspection since 1990. The Registry also has responsibility for the registration of certain third party rights under the Land Charges Act 1972 and the Agricultural Credits Act 1928.
Besides having the status of a government department, Land Registry is also an executive agency and trading fund. The Chief Land Registrar, Peter Collis, is the Head of Department, Agency Chief Executive and Accounting Officer. He is responsible to the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor for conducting the whole business of land registration in England and Wales.
Land Registry operates under the Land Registration Act 2002, which came into force in October 2003. This Act and its associated rules provide the Registry with the powers and flexibilities to carry out the strategic objectives in its rolling 10 year Strategic Plan. Those objectives include the completion of the Land Register and the introduction of a system of electronic conveyancing in England and Wales.
The Registry comprises 24 district offices located throughout England and Wales and a London-based Head Office. Each district office is led by a Land Registrar (a lawyer and expert in land registration matters) and an Area Manager (responsible for the general management of the office).
The Land Charges Department (which processes transactions and provides information about unregistered land) and the Agricultural Credits Department (which maintains a register of short-term loans by banks, secured on farming stock and other agricultural assets of the farmer) are located at Plymouth. This is also the base for the Information Services Group which is responsible for the Registry's IT systems. In all, the Registry employs over 8,000 people.
Land Registry offers an online service to its business customers ("Land Registry Direct") and is trialling "Land Register Online" which enables the public to gain access to the Land Register electronically by credit card payment. The Registry also issues quarterly residential property price reports providing data on residential property sales in England and Wales. These reports can be downloaded free from Land Registry website (see below).
As a trading fund, Land Registry relies on fees paid by its customers (rather than on tax payers' money provided by the Government) to cover the cost of its services. In 2003-04, its turnover was approximately £400 million and its staff processed some 30.6 million applications (an increase of 14% over the previous financial year).
Land Registry has Investors in People accreditation. Additionally it carries out formal annual customer satisfaction surveys and other regular customer feedback exercises. Currently, 98% of business customers are either satisfied or very satisfied with the Registry's overall service.
You can visit Land Registry's website at http://www.landregistry.gov.uk/.
Complaints
The Agency publishes a leaflet Putting Things Right which provides helpful information for customers who wish to complain about Land Registry.
Initially you should complain to the local Land Registry office concerned. If matters are not put right straight away, the Customer Service Manager at the office that dealt with or is dealing with your application is the best person to help you. The Customer Service Manager can consult the Land Registrar, who is the senior lawyer in each office, or the Area Manager, who is responsible for administration.
Complaints may be made in writing, by telephone, fax or e-mail. If you need further information or help in making your complaint the Agency Customer Service Manager will arrange for a member of staff to assist you. Her telephone number is 0800 015 8002.
If you remain dissatisfied with the reply received from the local Land Registry office or with the handling of your complaint, you can contact the Agency Customer Service Manager, who will arrange for the matter to be looked into on behalf of the Chief Land Registrar.
Should you remain dissatisfied with Land Registry's response once your complaint has been fully considered within the Agency's internal complaints procedures, you can refer your complaint to the ICR who can look into matters on your behalf.
Addresses
Land Registry Head Office
Lincoln's Inn Fields
London
WC2A 3PH
Tel: 020 7917 8888
Fax: 020 7955 0110
Land Charges Department
Plumer House
Tailyour Road
Crownhill
Plymouth
PL6 5HY
Tel: 01752 636666