LAND REGISTRY News
Release (25/07) issued by The Government News Network on 5 November 2007
In response to
concerns expressed by customers about the potential misuse of
scanned documents available electronically from Land Register
Online and following an extensive review of the service, Land
Registry has decided that documents referred to on the register,
for example mortgage deeds and leases, should no longer be
available electronically from http://www.landregisteronline.gov.uk
As from midnight on Monday 5 November 2007, online access to
these documents will be removed. Members of the public wishing to
inspect or have copies of any such documents can do so by applying
in writing to Land Registry.
Land Registry acknowledges that removing online access makes the
documents less readily available, but believes this to be a
positive step which will help to alleviate any risk of misuse.
Mike Westcott-Rudd, Head of Corporate Legal Services, said:
"People can be confident that their property ownership is
safeguarded by the state because if someone is a victim of fraud,
we have a comprehensive compensation scheme in place to put things right.
"However, fraud is a very serious issue and Land Registry
gives it the highest priority. It is important to strike a balance
between on the one hand making the system accessible, and
simplifying the process of conveyancing, and on the other hand
ensuring that appropriate safeguards are written into the system.
"While there is always a risk of fraud, we need to put this
risk in context - of £870 million fee income in 2005-06 and
2006-07, just under £12 million was paid out in compensation for
fraud or forgery claims."
ENDS
Notes to editors
1. Land Register Online was launched in January 2005 and provides
another, very popular, way of enabling the public to access Land
Registry information, supplementing the existing methods of postal
requests and requests in person. It only makes information
available to view. It does not allow anyone to alter the register
in any way.
2. With the world's largest property database of over 21
million titles, Land Registry underpins the economy by
safeguarding ownership of many billions of pounds worth of
property. Around £1million worth of property is processed every
minute in England and Wales.
3. As a government department established in 1862, executive
agency and trading fund responsible to the Secretary of State for
Justice and Lord Chancellor, Land Registry keeps and maintains the
Land Register for England and Wales. The Land Register has been an
open document since 1990.
4. For further information about Land Registry, please visit http://www.landregistry.gov.uk
Land Registry
Head Office
Lincoln's Inn
Fields
London WC2A 3PH
http://www.landregistry.gov.uk