Report comment

Oh you brave anonymous posters!

As conveyancers cover any complexity arising from the AP1/FR1 work within their quote at no extra cost - as we can't charge clients more, and we do not build in the exceptional HMLR hassle into our quotes - the headline should actually read:
"Land Registry: help conveyancers lose less profit by suggesting how we can be less pedantic"

Don't get me wrong, HMLR are a world class example in how to control and police a nation's property ownership, and any threat to that is madness. But their recent 50% reduction in fees was ludicrous, as that has made them into a bit of a muddle.

Requisitions now depend on which Land Registry officer's desk your AP1/FR1 lands on, and the creation of a new title number (FR1s, new leases and TP1s) take months and months. Combine that with zero apparent HMLR pressure on the Government to reintroduce Land and Charge Certificates (to prevent fraud) and conveyancers really do have a battle. on their hands

But fairs fair, conveyancers are pretty useless too - as HMLR would surely say - as we do create silly HMLR questions, thus wasting HMLR time. I suspect HMLR would point the finger at the volume outfits for sure, but not solely (as there are more individual practitioners in total). The list of the silly requisitions from HMLR would read with some amusement, if only they were brave enough to issue examples.

So....both need to get their houses in order....but maybe:

1. conveyancers should be penalised if their requisitions total over a set amount per year - e.g they lose the 50% HMLR discount?
2. HMLR should simplify their Practice Guides which are unnecessarily verbose.
3. AP1 and FR1 forms should be FAR slicker/simpler - designed for the actual application needed (yes multiple ones) /scenarios required to be registered, especially merging/de-merging title requests, and the silly 'no sole disposition without two trustee' Restriction which sometimes needs an RX and sometimes not, like I say, depending on which HMLR officer's desk it lands on.....so perhaps have the documents HMLR expect to see pre-populated in the FR1/AP1, not some explanation buried in a practice guide
4. HMLR fees should be far more clearly started on HMLR's website, as half the time I cannot remember and then have to go on a web trawl to find a clue what the fee is.

No point sugar coating.