A completed deed sometimes needs to be altered if the owners (or their successors) decide that its effect should be changed. For example, there may be a clerical or other error in the drafting of the original deed that is not spotted until after it has been completed. Or if the circumstances on which the original deed was based have changed, the owners may decide that the effect of the deed should be altered to reflect the change.
Practice Guide No 68 - Amending deeds that effect dispositions of registered land outlines the procedures that need to be followed where the original deed has already been registered, and distinguishes these from where the deed has not been lodged for registration, or where the application to register it has not yet been completed.
The guide also advises practitioners about situations where a later deed, drawn up for the purpose of correcting or altering an original deed that has already been registered, needs to follow one of the prescribed forms of transfer and/or comply with other specific requirements of the 2002 Land Registration Act and Rules.
Pascal Lalande, from Land Registry's Registration Change Group said:
"Most deeds, which include registrable dispositions such as transfers from sellers to buyers; leases from landlords to tenants and legal charges from property owners to lenders are completed and registered without any problems.
"However, in order to help customers avoid any registration pitfalls, we have produced a new guide which discusses the different issues that need to be considered when deeds lodged for registration require correction or alteration."
