HM Land Registry

The UK government department, founded in 1862, that records who owns land and property in England and Wales, with 14 offices from Plymouth to Durham.

About HM Land Registry

HM Land Registry keeps the official record of who owns land and property in England and Wales. When someone buys a house, takes out a mortgage, or leases a flat for a long period, the change is recorded here, and the registry guarantees the ownership details. Its register holds more than 27 million titles, covering over 90% of the land in England and Wales, and its records include a title register with owners and mortgages and a title plan based on an Ordnance Survey map. Anyone can inspect the register for a fee, which helps buyers, lenders and neighbours check facts. It is a non-ministerial government department, which means it works independently from ministers on day-to-day decisions.

It was created in 1862 under the Land Registry Act 1862. The first Chief Land Registrar, Brent Spencer Follett, opened its first office at Lincoln's Inn Fields in London on 15 October 1862 with six staff. Registration was originally voluntary and was made compulsory in stages from 1899, reaching all of England and Wales by 1990. Its stated purpose is to secure property ownership, make buying land easy and safe, and provide access to property information. Its vision is "digital services and expertise that unlock a better, faster and less stressful property market", and its values are integrity, driving innovation, professionalism and giving assurance.

The registry works from 14 locations across the country: Birkenhead, Coventry, Croydon (the head office), Durham, Fylde, Gloucester, Kingston upon Hull, Leicester, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth, Swansea, Telford and Weymouth. This spread is unusual among government bodies, and it means property careers exist well outside London. Wikipedia reports more than 6,000 employees and says its first electronic register was set up in Plymouth in 1986. It reports to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

As a civil service department, its culture is shaped by public-sector values. The organisation says it prizes integrity, innovation, professionalism and assurance for the people who use its services. Wikipedia reports that 97% of customers rate its service as good or better, though that is a self-reported figure carried in the article, and that Ian Banfield is the interim Chief Land Registrar and chief executive. It stopped being a trading fund in April 2020. We did not read any independent staff reviews.

The roles at HM Land Registry are broader than many people expect. Caseworkers check applications and update the register, which requires careful reading of legal documents. Others work in customer support, digital and data teams that build online services and an electronic register, legal and policy advisers, geographic data specialists who handle maps, and finance, property and people teams. Because decisions affect people's homes and savings, accuracy matters, and the work suits people who like detail, law, data and public service.

What they do

• {'desc': 'Records ownership, mortgages and leases for England and Wales and guarantees title.', 'title': 'Land and property register'}
• {'desc': 'Online services for conveyancers, lenders and the public to register and check property.', 'title': 'Digital services'}
• {'desc': 'Title registers and plans available to the public for a fee.', 'title': 'Property information'}

Key facts

• Created in 1862; first office opened at Lincoln's Inn Fields on 15 October 1862 with six staff
• Holds more than 27 million titles covering over 90% of England and Wales by land area
• 14 offices including Croydon (head office), Coventry, Durham, Plymouth, Swansea and Telford
• Non-ministerial government department; more than 6,000 employees (Wikipedia)

Website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry