The Land Registry wants to axe 1,500 posts – about 25% of its workforce – as part of a five-year plan to cut costs.

The registry believes the closure of five regional offices in Croydon, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Stevenage and Tunbridge Wells will also help save £92m a year.

Whilst it is stated that the proposals will make the registry “fit for the future”, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said the proposals had left staff “shocked and angry”, and that the plans could damage services. A statement on the Land Registry website said the “reorganisation and transformation… will cut its costs significantly and put it in the best possible position to deliver the services its customers demand”.

The Land Registry is a government body which registers all land ownership transactions in England and Wales.  It is funded by fees charged for its services and receives no taxpayers’ money. However, the property market downturn in the recession led to a loss in 2008-9, with another loss predicted this year.

“The changes will help create a Land Registry that is fit for the future, that can live within its means and that can continue to provide an outstanding service to its customers,” a statement on the registry website said.

Based on current and anticipated levels of business coming into the Land Registry, it estimates that it needs just 4,500 of about 6,000 current full-time positions.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said that the announcement had left staff shocked and angry and pointed out that there is a real risk of an adverse effect on the services offered by the Land Registry, stating that “…there is a real danger that services to the public will suffer as the agency is cut to the bone”.

Public consultation has been launched on the planned office closures, ahead of final decisions due to be made in February next year.

From 6 April 2009 there will be some key changes being made to the Home Information Pack (HIP) requirements relating the to the sales of homes in England and Wales.

1. A HIP must be available on the first day a property is marketed
2. A Property Information Questionnaire, completed by the seller, must be included in the HIP

For the uninitiated, a HIP is essentially a collection of key documents which must be compiled by the seller of a property to assist potential buyers.

On 6 April 2009 the temporary marketing exemption will expire, meaning that from this date it will be unlawful for the marketing of a property to begin unless a HIP is available.  The following documents are a minimum requirement before marketing can begin:

• Property Information Questionnaire

• Energy Performance Certificate or Predicted Energy Assessment

• Sustainability Certificate (new homes only)

• Sale Statement

• Land Registry Documents.

All other required documents, including searches and leases (where applicable), should be added to the HIP as soon as they are available and must be included in the HIP within 28 days of the first day of marketing.

The Property Information Questionnaire is being introduced as a compulsory requirement for residential properties marketed for sale on or after 6 April 2009. The PIQ should be completed by the seller and must be included in the pack before marketing of a property begins.  The intention of the PIQ is to provide the buyer with a helpful checklist of information as they walk round the property. It is not intended as a replacement for enquiries made during the conveyancing process but should help reduce the opportunity for surprises coming to light further down the line as part of this process.

What do the changes mean for a seller?

On a practical level, a seller will now need to ensure that their estate agent is armed with full information about their property as early as possible prior to their property being marketed. This is especially important if the seller wishes to proceed with a sale (and possibly a related purchase) quickly.  It will be the responsibility of an estate agent to ensure that the index of the HIP states which documents are missing and what steps are being taken to obtain them.

With regard to the PIQ, a seller must try to be as detailed as possible when answering the questions. This is because the answers will be treated as representations made by the seller, and any statements which are subsequently found to be untrue or incorrect may enable a buyer to take action against the seller for any losses they suffer as a result of relying on the incorrect information.  If a seller is unsure as to whether to include a particular piece of information, the safest way is to include it.