Form A Restriction on Title Register but single owner

Sorry to be posting here again, but following HMLR completion of processing an expedited TP1 on 30th April, the insertion of a Form A Restriction on the new title register (CYM923981) has raised an issue. The part transfer was needed urgently to enable the sale of my house, but the Restriction on disposition by a sole proprietor has been queried by my buyers' solicitors as I am the sole owner with no one else having any interest in the land. This is therefore now holding up my house sale and causing me further stress on top of what has already been a fraught process. My solicitor contacted HMLR last week and has been informed that the matter has been passed to the appropriate team for consideration. Please could you let me know how long it will be before we can expect a further response? It has been so disappointing to have another setback when I'd thought registration of the part transfer would finally permit completion of the house sale after a year. Any updates would be much appreciated.

Judith - sorry to read of the issues you are facing. I can't be definitive re timescales but I will escalate it with the casework team to consider the request to amend the title as submitted. I suspect, but should stress that this will be for the casework team to confirm, that the request to amend the register will be rejected. When the original application was completed the conveyancer was notified (6th May) as to why the restriction had been included. And no error has taken place. In such cases there are two options to consider. The first is to apply to cancel the restriction and how to do that was also explained in the letter dated 6th May The second is to appoint someone to act with you on your sale and together you transfer the title. See PG 21 section 6 for guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/using-transfer-forms-for-less-straightforward-transactions/practice-guide-21-using-our-forms-for-complex-and-more-unusual-transactions

I suspect your conveyancer may prefer to wait for a formal response from the casework team to their own request before deciding next steps as appropriate. As posted I will ask them to consider it asap and to respond to enable them, and you, to progress matters

Thank you Adam. It will be very helpful if the casework team can respond to my solicitor asap. I hope that it will be possible to move forward from this in a way that ensures the sale goes ahead as planned, which was the reason for the expedited transfer in the first place!

Judith - they have already responded and reiterated what had already been explained on completion of the original application. The solicitor can assist and advise you re the options available and it will be for you and them to decide which one is best for your urgent needs.

Thanks again Adam. Apols, but please could I ask you one further question if you have time before I talk to my solicitors: As HMLR has rejected my solicitor's current request to amend the register, would there be any point in applying to cancel the restriction, as surely the application would once again be rejected for the same reasons as now? (I'm not trying to be difficult or critical here, just to understand the HMLR process so I am completely clear about my options.)

Judith - no apology needed. Yes, applying to cancel is one option available as explained in my post and in the original letter issued to the solicitor and again in our reply to their request for amendment. The original application did not include enough information for us to remove the form A restriction when the transfer was registered. The request to amend was rejected as there was no error on our part Your options are to either apply to cancel it OR appoint someone else to act with you on the sale/transfer to buyer. You have options but very much up to you and your solicitor to identify which one suits your circumstances the best.

Such restrictions and how to deal with them is not a subject everyone will follow and understand. Hopefully our repeated explanation will assist your solicitor to discuss options and identify the 'best' (quickest I imagine) one for you.

Many thanks for your time and help Adam!