50.66 Land certificates - pre LRA2002

Prior to the LRA2002 a land certificate was issued by HM Land Registry to the owner of unencumbered registered property. The certificate contained a copy of the register and plan relating to the title. The land certificate was proof of ownership. In a sale or transfer of the property the certificate had to be handed over to the purchaser or transferee. The land certificate, broadly speaking, took the place of title deeds, which was the proof of ownership in the case of unregistered land.

50.67 Charge certificates - pre LRA2002

Prior to the LRA2002 when a mortgage was taken out over registered property the land certificate was handed over to the lender who would apply to register the mortgage against the title of the property. The LR used to prepare a charge certificate and, normally, send it to the lender. The charge certificate was proof that the lender has a mortgage over the property and it contained all the information that was in the land certificate. New entries relating to the mortgage were added to the register. Usually the mortgage deed was attached to the charge certificate. Until the mortgage had been paid off and the entries were cancelled, the land certificate was held by the LR.

50.68 LRR2002 - Title of Information Document

Under the LRA2002, which came into effect on 13 October 2003, LR will no longer issue land and charge certificates. As information is held electronically by the LR, land and charge certificates are no longer needed. All existing certificates lost their legal status on the commencement of the LRA2002. No land or charge certificates will be issued on any application that LR complete on or after 13 October 2003. Applications for replacement certificates are unnecessary on and after 13 October 2003.

Instead of a land or charge certificate, the LRR2003 provide for a Title Information Document to be issued giving the title number, property description and the name(s) of the registered proprietor(s).

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