COVID-19: HM Land Registry relaxes ID verification and deed signatures

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, HM Land Registry is introducing some temporary changes to their requirements to make it easier to verify identify and sign deeds says commercial property agent Prop-Search.

From today (04 May), in addition to conveyancers and chartered legal executives, verification of identify can now be undertaken by people who work, or have worked, in a specified group of professions.  These include retired conveyancers, chartered legal executives, solicitors and barristers; bank officials and regulated financial advisers; medical doctors, dentists and veterinary surgeons; chartered and certified accountants; and police officers and officers in the UK armed forces. 

Simon Toseland, a Director of Prop-Search, said: “Other groups allowed to provide verification include teachers and college and university teaching staff, Westminster MPs and Welsh Assembly members; UK civil servants of senior executive officer grade or above; and magistrates.  The verification can also be done by way of a video call.”

HM Land Registry will also, from today, accept the ‘Mercury’ signing approach for deeds which facilitates virtual signings where one or more signatories are not physically present at the same meeting. 

This means that, for land registration purposes, a signature page will need to be signed in pen and witnessed in person - not a video call.  The signature will then need to be captured, with a scanner or a camera, to produce a PDF, JPEG or other suitable copy of the signed signature page.  Each party sends a single email to their conveyancer to which is attached the final agreed copy of the document and the copy of the signed signature page.

Simon Toseland concludes: “These changes are most welcomed and will undoubtedly help to improve processes for transactions in the current challenging environment.  HM Land Registry has made it clear that these changes are temporary and may be modified or withdrawn at short notice at any moment. Nevertheless the changes will assist those carrying out transactions throughout both the commercial and residential property markets.”