Conveyancing firms will not be surprised to read that the most risks revealed by the SRA AML report (above) relate to property work. The SRA states: ‘The area where we continue to see the most risks relating to money laundering is conveyancing. 73% of the SARs we submitted to the National Crime Agency during the …
Property practitioners will be aware of the furore created by the Law Society’s proposed update of the Property Information Form to the 5th edition. This update incorporates the material information requirements which estate agents are supposed to have been advertising since November 2023. The Law Society told CQS firms that using the updated form would …
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Note that from 2 December 2024 HMLR is changing its address. This might not seem that significant as most firms will use the portal but remember that HMLR will require original deeds to be sent to it for first registrations from 1 October 2024 (see our November edition (p8)). So, the HMLR postal address will …
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HMLR has updated PG31 (discharge of charges) to reflect how applications should be made using its digital systems. Section 6 now reads: ‘6. Electronic discharges An electronic discharge is a discharge of a registered charge sent electronically by the lender’s computer system direct to us. For an electronic discharge, the HM Land Registry computer system …
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HMLR has announced in a blog dated 14 November 2024 that it is simplifying the registration of personal covenants. The idea is to make such entries more consistent – the entry will appear thus: A [deed] dated [date] contains positive and/or indemnity covenants. Note: Copy filed. HMLR states that: ‘We will make this entry regardless …
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There are some important changes afoot for CLC regulated practices. On 21 October 2024, they announced: ‘Proposed changes by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) to its Code of Conduct have been approved by the Legal Services Board (LSB) and will take effect from January 1, 2025. Last reviewed in 2011, the CLC closed a …
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HMLR has issued two blogs in an attempt to connect with conveyancers to help bring down the number of requisitions. HMLR makes the point that these do contribute to the current HMLR delays in processing times. The ten most common ‘avoidable’ requisitions are: variations in names; missing information; plans and descriptions; identity; missing evidence; type …
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Continuing the theme of updating practice guides to tell conveyancers what they arguably should already know, HMLR has updated section 4 of PG6 (devolution on the death of a registered proprietor) to clarify the guidance in the third paragraph in section 4 concerning the death of a joint proprietor where the legal estate vests in …
Form DJP is very useful as it is used to remove the name of a deceased joint proprietor from a register of title and removes the need to submit an entire AP1. This form has been updated to make it clear in the explanatory information that the form is only to be used where there …
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In our September 2024 edition (p3) we reported on HMLR’s change of policy regarding first registration applications. PG1 (first registrations) has been updated to reflect this practice (4.4.4.1 provides that acceptance of certified copy deeds has now been withdrawn but does still apply to applications lodged prior to 1 October 2024 at HMLR and that …
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