HM Land Registry Fees | What Are The Recent Fee Increases?

The Land Registry’s job is to register properties under their owners’ name. When you buy a property from someone else, HM Land Registry’s job is to charge a fee to transfer their register entry into your name. This fee’s dependent on how much your property is worth.

From 31 January 2022, some of HM Land Registry’s land registration fees increased for the first time since 2009. For a single purchase, these increases are probably not a deal breaker, but for those who have a sizeable investment portfolio, or for builders of a large, multi-property development, the increases will soon add up.

Essentially the fee increases mean that house buyers will have to pay the increased fee when submitting an application after 31 January, regardless of whether it’s a new application, or the resubmission of a cancelled or rejected application. Plus, fees for applications submitted electronically have increased by 11%, whilst those submitted by post have risen by 21%.

In summary, the main changes are as follows:

An increase in Scale 1 and Scale 2 fees.

Scale 1 applications for first registration and change of ownership for monetary value by post.

Property value	Old fee	New fee
£0 to £80,000	£40	£45
£80,001 to £100,000	£80	£95
£100,001 to £200,000	£190	£230
£200,001 to £500,000	£270	£330
£500,001 to £1,000,000	£540	£655
£1,000,001 and over	£910	£1,105

Scale 2 applications which include the registration of a charge and the transfer of ownership for no monetary value by post.

Property value	Old fee	New fee
£0 to £100,000	£40	£45
£100,001 to £200,000	£60	£70
£200,001 to £500,000	£80	£100
£500,001 to £1,000,000	£120	£145
£1,000,001 and over	£250	£305

Historical copies of the register

Also, there will be a change in fees for obtaining historical copies of the register. Each application for a historical copy of the register will cost £3 when lodged electronically or £7 by post and each application for an historical copy of a title plan will cost £3 when lodged electronically or £7 by post.

Helen Checketts, Solicitor in the Residential Property team at Alsters Kelley Solicitors said, “According to HM Land Registry the reason for the price increases is to accelerate the digitalisation and automation of its services. They believe that this will help to deliver what is needed, a more consistent and speedier service delivery.”

She continued. “Whilst no one wants to be paying more, we hope that this will mean dealing with HM Land Registry will be an easier and less drawn-out process, benefiting both the new house owner and their solicitors.”

Details of all fee increases can be found here.