Charge Removal (Please Hurry)

Application Reference: F142WHT Title Number: LL289570

I'm the owner of the property in question, and would really appreciate your help in expediting the removal of a charge.

The paperwork was submitted 2-3 weeks ago by our solicitor, and it still shows as pending.

It's lack of removal is holding up a team of builders, plumbers and electricians, whilst causing us some considerable distress and increasing cost.

Please assist, thank you.

I have also submitted the online expedition form, including a copy of our mortgage offer that expires on 25th March.

Matthew - the application was expedited on the 18th March so I'd expect it to be processed in the next couple of days. 
I'd suggest you double check with the conveyancer that they have submitted everything needed to enable us to discharge the charge.
And I should also stress that if they have and it's a paper discharge then we will most likely have to serve notices on the lender (private individuals) to confirm removal. That will take extra time and will rely on them responding as appropriate and the expedite process will not remove that requirement.
I mention both points simply to flag that there is likely to be a further delay. The casework team will decide what's needed but I need to try to help re your expectations around timescales from here. Most important one is to check with the conveyancer that they have provided the required paperwork

Adam - Genuinely, thank you very much for assistance. Three quick questions, if I may:

1.Hyphothetically speaking, what paperwork could be missing, or could the conveyancer have filled in the submitted paperwork incorrectly?

2. Are notices (to the lenders, who hyphothetically could be parents) served by the LR via email, letter or a telephone call?

3. Would it help if the lenders (to which the notcies are to be served) proactively contacted the LR?

Kind regards, Matthew

Matthew - 1. A cursory glance suggests they have only provided an application form and no actual DS1 (form needed to discharge a legal charge). I am simply suggesting it would be worth the conveyancer double-checking that they have submitted all that is required to enable the application to be processed and Notices issued
But it will be for the casework team to consider and decide if all in order - my cursory glance was simply to confirm what the application was and it appears lacking to me
2. By the contact details on the register, so post
3. No - the process has to be followed so they will need to respond to the Notices as received. If you try and circumvent the process you may delay matters further

Hello Adam, thanks in advance for your ongoing support.

Our solicitor spoke to the Land Registry on Friday, and cleared up a problem with an address that was unreadable. She was told the charge would be moved that afternoon.

It's now Tuesday, our mortage offer lapsed yesterday, and the charge is still showing as pending.

Can you kindly take a look at the case please and let me know what's happening?

Best, Matthew

Hello Matthew - whilst the issues involved re the discharge papers provided were resolved on the 23rd we are then required to serve notices on the named lenders, Frederick and Carole Slinn. They have been issued and in order to finish the application we need them both to receive their Notices and respond as directed therein.
These Notices are part of our wider checks to prevent property/mortgage fraud.
I can't see any record of a conversation with the solicitor re completion on Friday so if they were ill-advised then I am sorry for that but these checks must be carried out.

Morning Adam, thank you for the update.

Nothing personal, but I'm somewhat perflexed as to why the Land Registry now need to contact the lenders via mail, with them having already been asked to submit a DS1 and ID1, both witnessed and stamped by a solicitor.

Be that as it may, can you kindly explain the process(es) the former lenders will now need to follow, so we can understand the timescales involved, please?

Morning Matthew - the process to follow is in the Notices as issued. So once received (not by email) they need to read them carefully and respond appropriately and as directed in the notices themselves.
I appreciate the perplexity this can cause applicants and others but unfortunately mortgage/property fraud is a 'real' thing and we, like the solicitor, must have measures to help prevent that and safeguard not only owners but also lenders.
If all is ok and above board then completing the process is very rarely an issue but of course when there's a need for speed, as here, when there are issues with the paperwork submitted and/or then having to confirm all is ok is frustrating. 

Thank you for explaining, Adam.

Forgive my naivety, but how are notices served, and how do (private) lenders access them and respond?

Matthew - they are served based on the registered information. So in this case by post (1st Class)
How they are to respond is explained in the notices. 

Adam,

I've just spoken to the lenders (my parents) who received the forms in the post yesterday.

They signed them and posted them back (yesterday), thank the lord!

You should receive them today, so I'll follow-up with you tomorrow, if I haven't heard from the LR beforehand.

Many thanks, Matthew

Good morning Adam,

Can you kindly take a peek at my case and let me know where things stand?

Thanks in advance, Matthew

G M Matthew - nothing to update as yet as nothing received and added to the application

Good afternoon, Adam.

I'm hoping you have some good news for us today.

I spoke to a very helpful woman at the LR last Thursday, who confirmed the returned (signed) forms hadn't been entered on to the system.

I realise that we've had a bank holiday, but it's now been 7-days since they were returned via 1st class post.

Can you take a peek, please?

Hi Adam,

I realise you might be busy, but I'd appreciate you checking on the system, as it's now 8-days (4 working days) since the forms were returned (via 1st class post).

If they are still showing as not received, can you please escalate this?

My parents regularly use the post box in question, with all first class post arriving within 2-working days, with no post ever going missing. I'd therefore hazard a guess that the delay is at your end.

Thanks in advance, Matthew

Hi Matthew - we haven't yet received the replies you referred to previously.
I can see a record of your call on 28th March when we confirmed notices had been issued and replies awaited.
And a call from your fellow joint owner of earlier today also confirming we had not as yet received the replies.

Hi Adam,

We are told that the paperwork has now been received. As you know, this is now 9-days after it was returned.

My wife has phoned twice today, on both occasions to be told the case was being escalated. In addition, our solicitor has also been in contact.

Unfortunately, we've now been told the case is still to be picked up!

With the above in mind, can you kindly ask someone with authority to please contact me. I cannot stress enough, how urgent this has now become.

Hi Matthew - this is an online public forum only so I'll capture your comment and request and refer it to the casework team to consider and respond as appropriate and as swiftly as they can

Matthew - it appears that the application has now been completed and the register updated