New triggers bring comprehensive land register nearer to completion

Two new triggers will help Land Registry to achieve its strategic objective to create a comprehensive land register when they come into force next year. The new triggers are:

* the appointment of a new trustee of unregistered land held in trust where the land vests in the new trustee by deed or by a vesting order under section 44 of the Trustee Act 1925

* the partitioning of unregistered land held in trust amongst the beneficiaries of the trust.

The Land Registration Act 2002 (Amendment) Order 2008, which adds these events to the number of triggers for compulsory first registration of title, was laid in Parliament on Monday 10 November and comes into force on 6 April 2009.

The creation of a comprehensive land register is of primary importance to Land Registry because registered land has the best possible legal protection. Online access to title information also makes buying and selling easier for everyone concerned.

Currently 67 per cent of the land in England and Wales is registered with approximately 22 million registered titles, of which over 17 million are freehold.

Further information about the new triggers can be obtained at landregistry.gov.uk