First Registration - Expedition approved appliction

Hi, my partner and I are trying to understand how quickly a Land Registry Lawyer can look at an expedited application that was made for a new title DN788390. We understand that the case worker has completed all actions required, including a site ordnance survey, and now we are just waiting for the title to be signed off by LR legal. We have sold our property and we were forced to break our chain and move into temporary accommodation. We are now waiting to hear every day with no real end in sight as we cannot complete our onward purchase without the title. Is there anything you can do to help us please to expedite this further? The purchase is at risk as we are literally sofa surfing here until we hear back. Thanks so much for any help or advice you may be able to provide.

Hi Ben - sorry to read of the issues you are facing. Your understanding is correct. I can't be definitive re timescales but have escalated the referral with the lawyers to ensure next steps are taken as swiftly as possible. Those next steps are likely to be in the next few days but I can't be more exact than that. Note - in my experience next steps, if all is in order with the application to claim the land, include contacting neighbouring registered owners and asking them if they wish to object or consent to the registration. If those checks are required the notice period is 15 working days and I mention this purely to flag the possibility re timescales and how the wait might still be stretched

We’re testing a new service that will give citizens the ability to check the progress of an application online. These are citizens who have applied themselves and those who have applied through a conveyancer. The user research would involve a one to one Teams call lasting 45-60 mins If you are happy for me to email you the details to consider please respond to this post. There’s no obligation to respond here or to agree to the call once the specific details have been emailed. Purely an Ask on our part.

Thanks so much for the reply Adam and for the escalation, it is much appreciated. Are you able to let us know please if those extra checks that you mention i.e. contacting neighbouring registered owners will happen as a mandatory next step? The land in question is within the current curtilage of the property we’re trying to buy so perhaps that won’t be necessary and we can hope for a shortened process.

Ben - no and I flagged the possibility of the wider checks merely to manage expectations as some will see the referral/next steps as the end of the process and that is not always the case. As you state they may not be necessary but that is why such matters have to be reviewed by a lawyer for example to decide what we can or cannot accept re such claims. Things can seem obvious to those in situ for example but land law in England and Wales is based very much on documentary title first and what's in situ second. If they both align then great but the process and due diligence must be observed to enable us to provide a guarantee re title ownership. Hope that helps and fingers crossed the wider checks are not deemed necessary and matters can conclude much sooner than my worse case scenario

Thanks very much, Adam. I hope you don’t mind if I check back in with you mid-next week to see if there is any progress. In the meantime, have a good weekend.

Ben - by all means post again next week. You appreciate the limitations re what I can share in a public forum but I can at least offer some form of update re progress or not. Have a good weekend too