Forgiving Mood

All conveyancing practitioners are well aware of requisitions from HM Land Registry, which occasionally have a slight caustic tone to them particularly when we may nave made a basic - but perhaps human - error on our application form.

Against this background 1 was particularly interested to read an article about e-conveyancing in the official newsletter of the Land Registry - LandNet, issue number 5, March 2002.

In the midst of this article, was a wonderfully futuristic document depicting the new way forward for conveyancing - a form of contract which, if controlled through the Land Registry, it is hoped will increase the speed of the whole conveyancing process.

In the sample agreement, there was shown a box for the purchase price which stated 34,000 (sic) , similarly a box for the deposit which showed 34,000, a box for chattels stated as 15,000 (sic) and then showing a balance of 307,500.

The only consolation is that our mistakes are only published to the Land Registry.

This particular LandNet publication has obviously been published to the entire conveyancing world.

One doesn't like to be an anorak about this, but perhaps someone ought to send the Land Registry a requisition?

On second thoughts, to err is human, to forgive is in the gift of the downtrodden - and does not it make you look excitedly forward to the dawn of e-conveyancing?

Paul Hills, Paul Hills & Co, East Wittering, Sussex

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