As from yesterday (3 December 2012), property professionals will be able to apply more quickly and cost effectively to update details held on property registers.
The Land Registry’s new electronic Document Registration Service (e-DRS) is now available through their ‘portal’ transactional channel.
Users such as conveyancers are now able to send and receive the majority of their applications to change the register electronically — rather than through the post.
Speaking at the launch yesterday, Malcolm Dawson, Chief Executive, Land Registry said: “Our customers lodge thousands of applications to update property registers with us every day.
“With e-DRS we aim to make this a quick and easy process. We worked closely with our customers at every stage of development to ensure the new service reduces customer costs without the need for major changes to their processes or to their relationships with their clients.
“Over the next few years we want to build on this development and reach a position where every application can be lodged online.”
Angela Jackson, Land Registry’s product manager for e-DRS added: “Being able to lodge the majority of applications to change a property register electronically carries a number of benefits for our customers and for Land Registry.
"Online delivery will reduce the average end-to-end processing time of an application and remove its postal costs.”
Jonathan Sharp, Partner at Hartley & Worstenholme Solicitors, has been using the prototype service for four months and commended its ease of use.
Mr Sharp said the firm had saved money as they are now able to simply scan and upload documents.
There are no additional fees for using e-DRS. The fees payable for submitting applications via e-DRS are based on the current Land Registration Fee Order.
The service has been available via Land Registry’s integrated business-to-business channel, Business Gateway since September 2012.
