Press release: October 2017 Transaction Data

This data provides information about the number and types of applications that HM Land Registry completed in October 2017.

In October:

  • HM Land Registry completed more than 1,740,000 applications to change or query the Land Register
  • the South East topped the table of regional applications with 407,148

The transaction data shows HM Land Registry completed 1,740,068 applications in October compared with 1,586,987 in September and 1,532,007 last October, of which:

  • 408,685 were applications to update existing titles compared with 363,990 in September

  • 823,267 were applications to obtain an official copy of a register compared with 747,090 in September

  • 226,488 were official searches compared with 210,805 in September

  • 26,260 were postal applications from non-account holders, compared with 24,136 in September

Applications by region and country

Region and country August 2017 applications September 2017 applications October 2017 applications
South East 392,737 372,168 407,148
Greater London 313,338 298,966 329,865
North West 186,030 176,591 195,045
South West 164,325 155,495 168,802
West Midlands 143,074 135,283 145,121
Yorkshire and the Humber 128,718 122,127 135,347
East Midlands 115,673 111,411 120,689
North 76,810 72,506 82,710
Wales 79,289 76,292 80,938
East Anglia 71,789 66,034 74,202
Isles of Scilly 47 47 106
England and Wales (not assigned) 87 67 95
Total 1,671,917 1,586,987 1,740,068

Top 5 local authority areas

Top 5
local authority areas
August
applications
Top 5
local authority areas
September
applications
Top 5
local authority areas
October
applications
Birmingham 25,179 Birmingham 23,631 Birmingham 26,232
City of Westminster 21,516 City of Westminster 20,892 City of Westminster 24,087
Leeds 19,102 Leeds 18,076 Leeds 19,895
Manchester 17,499 Cornwall 16,809 Manchester 17,810
Cornwall 17,193 Manchester 16,290 Cornwall 17,794

Top 5 customers

Top 5
customers
August
applications
Top 5
customers
September
applications
Top 5
customers
October
applications
Enact 37,513 Enact 39,349 Enact 48,058
O’Neill Patient 26,888 O’Neill Patient 24,273 O’Neill Patient 24,610
Optima Legal Service 21,031 Optima Legal Service 20,688 Optima Legal Service 23,721
Eversheds LLP 20,189 Eversheds LLP 18,307 HBOS Bank PLC 20,980
HBOS Bank PLC 18,235 Barclays Bank PLC 16,491 Eversheds LLP 19,123

Access the full dataset on data.gov.uk.

Notes to editors

  1. Transaction Data is published on the 15th working day of each month. The November Transaction Data will be published at 11am on Thursday 21 December 2017 at HM Land Registry Monthly Property Transaction Data.
  2. The monthly Transaction Data showing how many applications for new titles, leases, splitting titles, updating existing titles, official copies of the register and searches were completed, reflects the volume of applications lodged by customers using an HM Land Registry account number on their application form.
  3. Completed applications in England and Wales shown by region and by local authority include postal applications as well as those sent electronically.
  4. Transaction Data excludes pending applications, withdrawn applications, bankruptcy applications, bulk applications and discharge applications.
  5. Transactions for value are applications lodged involving a transfer of ownership for value. Discharge applications remove a charge, for example a mortgage, from the register. For an explanation of other terms used, see abbreviations used in the transaction data.
  6. Most searches carried out by a solicitor or conveyancer are to protect the purchase and/or mortgage. For example, a search will give the buyer priority for an application to HM Land Registry to register the purchase of the property. This can give an indication of market activity.
  7. Reasonable skill and care is used in the provision of the data. We strive to ensure that the data is as accurate as possible but cannot guarantee that it is free from error. We cannot guarantee our data is fit for your intended purpose or use.
  8. Transaction Data is available free of charge for use and re-use under the Open Government Licence (OGL). The licence allows public bodies to make their data available for re-use.
  9. If you use or publish the Transaction Data, you must add the following attribution statement: “Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2017. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0”.
  10. HM Land Registry’s mission is to guarantee and protect property rights in England and Wales.
  11. HM Land Registry is a government department created in 1862. It operates as an executive agency and a trading fund and its running costs are covered by the fees paid by the users of its services. Its ambition is to become the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data.
  12. HM Land Registry safeguards land and property ownership worth more than £4 trillion, including more than £1 trillion of mortgages. The Land Register contains more than 24 million titles, which show evidence of ownership, covering more than 84% of the land mass.
  13. For further information about HM Land Registry visit www.gov.uk/land-registry
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