Compulsory first registration now applies to all transactions in land, whether or not money changes hands.

We have found that pre-empting a compulsory registration by applying in advance on a voluntary basis can be beneficial, since there are no time constraints – and a more measured approach, particularly to large blocks of land, can achieve a better result. Moreover, there are a variety of other good reasons to voluntarily register land now, notably that any attempt to register squatters’ rights will be formally notified to the landowner by the Land Registry, which will allow an objection to be lodged. We have substantial experience of registering the full range of land holdings from small cottages to facilitate a sale of large estates in multiple ownerships.