For your information, this is a post I have just sent to the LIS-Law mailing list. I have thought it may interest also UKeIG group.

Brunella

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Started from a simple search needed for personal reasons, the retrieval of a Title Register from the "Find a Property" database turned out to be a good opportunity to learn about the resource.

Nobody answered the request I posted here on March 1st a part from one librarian working in a consultancy who told me they have a corporate agreement with the Land Registry that specifically does not allow to re-sell the data.

Several further attempts through diverse configurations (private and public computers, wi-fi networks and ethernets, Apple or Windows, Safari or Internet Explorer) confirmed that a new user (not previously registered, so without any login credentials) CANNOT obtain a Title Register online via http://www.landregistry.co.uk/ at the moment.

I spoke with several very kind people at the Customer Support Team of the Land Registry via email and telephone and I was told:
- to ask a friend or colleague in case of problems ***
- that the search was possible on their computer
- they were able to see there are 1 Freehold and 2 Leaseholds for the flat I was interested in
- to change computer because I was clearly encountering an "unusual combination of technical problems"
- send cheques to buy the Titles required to the competent Land Registry Office and have them by post
- wait to be called by the operator who did not give me at first her direct number
- select a type of form among several forms that turned out to be very specific and not at all relevant to the basic request in order to make the request by post
- fill a specific form (oc1.pdf) available on line
- make an appointment with the competent Land Registry Office
- not to make an appointment because "If there are [sic] an 'unusual combination of technical factors' it is unlikely that Find a Property will be suitable for your purposes"
- send the form and not to send any form
- send 8£ for 3 Title Registers (1 Freehold and 2 Leaseholds)
- finally (once we had clarified the request and the context of the research I was doing with the right person at the right office) I was asked to send 24£ for having the 3 Title Registers (1 Freehold and 2 Leaseholds) that is what I have just done.

After at least three hours spent over the phone / email and using diverse computers and connections (via libraries and internet cafes), I learned via an old issue of their internal magazine (Landnet, April 2010), that the Land Registry has gone through a major programme of restructuring, consultation and experiments about Electronic Conveyancing. This includes complete change of procedures from previous Land Registration Rules 2008 and may lead Customer Support people to misinterpreting requests incoming from diverse contexts and to apply diverse rules and even diverse price lists for the same products. The Web pages may be not updated as a Title register costs 8£ not 4.

Therefore all the confusion and inefficiencies that a new user may encounter is not at all due to his / her null familiarity with the system or to "unusual combination of technical problems" or to inexperience in dealing with these data but to the fact that changes and disruptions are going on without any appropriate communication offered, especially to first time users, at "triage" level. I do not think it is easy to understand this type of issues if you don't have a specific reference librarian or information officer experience bytheway.

Having said that, while I have learned something new about an information resource I did not know, and spoke with really kind people, I must also say that the nature and type of problem experienced made me think there are filters active at query handler level, that do not apply to corporate users of the database. Basically, if you are within the invisible wall of corporate / private intranet you may be completely not aware of these difficulties from normal citizen without any expertise that want to perform their own conveyancing. This could also affect the professionals who work in a small business or solo proprietorship setting.

Other experiences, opinions or reviews of information products and services offered in diverse "bundles" targeted to diverse people would be much appreciated.

Kind Regards


Brunella Longo
7 New College Court
London NW3 5EX
T +44 (0)20 72095014 (home) - +44 (0) 75 49921488 (mobile)
http://www.brunellalongo.info (http://www.brunellalongo.it)