Increase in Land Registry fees

Sales have slumped in the past two years

The Land Registry is putting up some of its fees for the first time since 1993.

The registry, which covers England and Wales, is the government body that records and guarantees the ownership of domestic and commercial property.

There are nine price brackets for registering a sale which will rise by between £10 (to £50) for the cheapest and £220 (to £920) for the dearest.

The registry says it has raised its fees because the recession and property market slump have depressed its income.

The register enables anyone to find out who owns land, whether there is a mortgage or legal restriction on it, and how much was paid when it was last sold.

'Regrettable'

The higher fees will make the sale and purchase of a property - the conveyancing process - slightly more expensive.

Our intakes of work fell heavily in 2008 and 2009 leading to an unsustainable reduction in our fee income Land Registry

But the Land Registry said that without the extra money it would no longer be able to cover its costs.

"Due to the downturn in the property market and the deterioration in the economy generally, our intakes of work fell heavily in 2008 and 2009 leading to an unsustainable reduction in our fee income," the registry said.

"A range of measures has already been taken to cut costs including a voluntary redundancy scheme and an accelerated plan to merge offices.

"Despite this the increases are, regrettably, unavoidable," it added.

Property sales across the UK are currently just 44% of the level recorded this time two years ago.

Going up

The latest round of increases affects all the Land Registry charges, of which there are more than 90.

They include fees for recording the sale of a property, inspecting the register, supplying answers to questions, and supplying copies of an entry.

Fees for registering the sale of the cheapest homes, worth up to £50,000, will go up from £40 and £50.

Registering the sale of a house costing the current average of nearly £153,000 will cost an extra £50 at £200.

But fees for registering the most expensive properties, worth more than £1m, will rise from £700 and £920.