Since 1990, it has been mandatory to register any sale, mortgage, assent etc. of a property with HM Land Registry. A Voluntary First Registration describes the process by which the owner of a property registers their property at HM Land Registry before one of the registration triggers has been met.
What can I expect to pay?
Voluntary Registrations can be simple or complex. The amount you can expect to pay will vary depending on the complexity of the registration process. Costs would be charged at an hourly rate, depending on who works on your file:-
| Hourly Charge Rate | |
| Partner | £300.00 plus VAT |
| Senior Associate | £250.00 plus VAT |
| Associate | £220.00 plus VAT |
| Conveyancer | £190.00 plus VAT |
VAT is charged at 20%.
Are there any hidden costs or disbursements?
We will always be upfront with our fees at the start of a transaction. Disbursements are not always known at the outset but we would not expect there to be many disbursements for a declaration of trust. Common disbursements you can expect to pay include:-
| Disbursement | Average Cost |
| Search of Index Map at HM Land Registry | £4.00 per search |
| Official Search of Whole or Part at HM Land Registry | £3.00 per search |
| Land Charges Search at HM Land Registry | £2.00 per name |
| ID checks (required under the Anti Money Laundering Regulations) | £25.00 plus VAT per person
|
| Registration fee at HM Land Registry | £30 – £830 depending on the value of the property at the time of registration. |
What work is included in those costs?
Every matter is of course different, but in general you can expect our costs to include:-
- Obtaining and reviewing the title deeds.
- Drafting the Epitome of Title.
- Drafting and submitting the application for first registration to HM Land Registry.
Is there anything not included?
Our costs include all work that is usually required to complete the declaration of trust. However, you may require additional legal services as a result (such as updating your Will) and these would be charged separately. You can find more information about the other legal services we offer here.
How long will the transaction take?
We would expect a simple registration could be applied for within 4 – 6 weeks. A more complex transaction can take several months.
Once your application has been made to the Land Registry it is currently taking upwards of 12months for the registered titles to be returned to us.
