Almost a third (29%) of HM Land Registry customers have reduced their avoidable requisitions since law firms received their figures individually six months ago. A fifth of customers now have an avoidable requisition rate under 1%.
In May, HMLR said it would give firms the percentage of their requisitions that could have been avoided before the application was submitted, in a bid to cut down on around 800,000 requests for information it sends to firms every year.
As well as sharing data with firms, HMLR has introduced improvements to the application system, including automated digital checks to prevent simple errors, strengthening casework teams, and simplifying wording to make it clearer and more consistent.
The provision of training and resources has also been strengthened, with more than 80 practice guides, live and on-demand webinars, practical tips on avoiding requisitions, and specialist services for legal professionals dealing with complex land and property transactions.
In December, HMLR will publish updated avoidable requisition data alongside its existing dataset on gov.uk, which will include the name of the firm, the number of applications submitted between April and October 2025, and the number and percentage of acquisitions receiving fully avoidable requisition.
Firms with 10 or more completed applications will also receive an email with their individual figures.
“Requisitions cause delays that cost customers and their clients time and money”, HMLR said.
“They also reduce the number of applications our caseworkers can deal with, and increase the time it takes to complete them. Reducing requisitions by improving application quality helps everyone by speeding up applications and improving accuracy.”
The average rate of avoidable requisitions per customer is currently 4.6%, with 16 customers with a rate of 20% or more.
HMLR has identified 30 of the most common administrative mistakes, which include missing documents and witness details and incomplete or unsigned forms.
Comprehensive resources are available to help firms identify avoidable errors, with tips, guidance, checklists and videos. HMLR encourages firms to explore the guidance, of which it says only around 40% of customers are aware.
