Press release

December 2017 Transaction Data

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

transaction data illustration with a laptop and the content shows map on screen

In December:

  • HM Land Registry completed more than 1,266,640 applications to change or query the Land Register
  • the South East topped the table of regional applications with 287,649

The transaction data shows HM Land Registry completed 1,266,641 applications in December compared with 1,774,223 in November and 1,271,984 last December, of which:

  • 319,721 were applications to update existing titles compared with 411,092 in November
  • 551,427 were applications to obtain an official copy of a register compared with 834,546 in November
  • 197,327 were official searches compared with 238,129 in November
  • 26,377 were postal applications from non-account holders, compared with 30,948 in November

Applications by region and country

Region and country October applications November applications December applications
South East 407,148 408,756 287,649
Greater London 329,865 339,086 250,636
North West 195,045 200,475 139,168
South West 168,802 173,351 124,681
West Midlands 145,121 152,816 107,079
Yorkshire and the Humber 135,347 135,373 98,017
East Midlands 120,689 125,846 90,239
Wales 80,938 82,646 58,854
North 82,710 81,197 56,648
East Anglia 74,202 74,499 53,549
Isles of Scilly 106 92 79
England and Wales (not assigned) 95 86 42
Total 1,740,068 1,774,223 1,266,641

Top 5 local authority areas

Top 5 local authority areas October applications Top 5 local authority areas November applications Top 5 local authority areas December applications
Birmingham 26,232 Birmingham 27,715 Birmingham 19,714
City of Westminster 24,087 City of Westminster 23,565 City of Westminster 17,977
Leeds 19,895 Leeds 20,137 Leeds 14,262
Manchester 17,810 Cornwall 18,823 Manchester 13,384
Cornwall 17,794 Manchester 18,542 Cornwall 13,332

Top 5 customers

Top 5 customers October applications Top 5 customers November applications Top 5 customers December applications
Enact 48,058 Enact 49,360 Enact 36,313
O’Neill Patient 24,610 Optima Legal Services 25,532 Optima Legal Services 19,826
Optima Legal Services 23,721 O’Neill Patient 24,260 O’Neill Patient 19,764
Eversheds LLP 20,980 TM Group (UK) Ltd 19,701 HBOS PLC 16,649
Barclays Bank PLC 19,123 HBOS PLC 19,315 TM Group (UK) Ltd 16,444

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 January Transaction Data will be published at 11am on Wednesday 21 February 2018 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, bankruptcy applications, bulk applications and discharge applications (to remove a charge, for example, a mortgage, from the register).

  5. Transactions for value are applications lodged involving a transfer of ownership for value. 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 2018. 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 in excess of £4 trillion, including around £1 trillion of mortgages. The Land Register contains more than 25 million titles showing evidence of ownership for some 85% of the land mass of England and Wales.

  13. For further information about HM Land Registry visit gov.uk/land-registry

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Contact

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Email HMLRPressOffice@landregistry.gov.uk

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Updates to this page

Published 22 January 2018