Land Registry: Simpler fees
HM Land Registry (HMLR) is planning to deliver the “biggest step-change in land registration automation for many years”, including the development of a digital remortgage.
In its business plan for 2026/27, the organisation also said it was designing and would be consulting on “a new, simpler fees and charging model to replace the current complex system”.
HMLR said it would “automate residential mortgage applications” in 2026/27, “significantly reducing” the time between lending decisions and registration.
“This expansion of our digital services will ensure they can perform under peak demand, enabling our expert caseworkers to focus on complex applications where specialist judgement adds greatest value.
“This will drive more efficient and reliable operational delivery and help lenders manage risk more effectively, speeding up access to finance for consumers, and contribute to increased confidence and activity in the market.
“We are also working with lenders and government partners to explore how refinancing a home could become quicker, simpler and fully digital through developing a digital remortgage proof of concept in 2026/27.
“This work will test how many of the delays and administrative steps that customers experience today can be removed, paving the way for an easier remortgage process.”
HMLR’s plan to deliver modern digital services would include development of an “integration and developer hub” during 2026/27.
“This will provide customers and partners with secure, reliable access to our digital and data services through modern APIs (application programming interfaces), which are digital interfaces that enable secure data exchange between systems.
“It will make it easier for professional users and third-party providers to connect their systems, automate processes, and access property information in real time.”
On fees, HMLR said it was “designing a new, simpler fees and charging model to replace the current complex system.
“By streamlining how fees are calculated and paid, we will reduce errors and administrative effort for customers and our people, while enabling a future digital and service model.”
The new fee structure would “generate sufficient income to remain cost‑neutral”, while “taking account of cost‑of‑living pressures to ensure changes are proportionate”.
A public consultation in 2026/27 would be followed by implementation the following year.
HMLR said it would “accelerate delivery of the national local land charges register by working closely with local authorities to migrate a record number of datasets” during 2026/27 and be taking “another step forward in reducing the age of outstanding applications”.
In his foreword to the business plan, Iain Banfield, interim chief executive and Chief Land Registrar, commented: “The investments set out in this plan in our services, people, technology and data, will start to deliver real and measurable benefits: more efficient operational delivery, improved customer experience and a modern property registration service fit for the next generation.”
