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Annual review 2006/7 About Land Registry Contents Previous Next

    About Land Registry

    Land Registry was created as a separate government department in 1862 and became an executive agency on 2 July 1990 and a trading fund on 1 April 1993. The Chief Land Registrar is the Head of the Department, full Accounting Officer and Chief Executive of the executive agency. He is a statutory office holder and is responsible for conducting the whole business of land registration in England and Wales. He reports to the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor.

    Land Registry operates through 24 offices located throughout England and Wales, a London-based Head Office and offices in Plymouth housing the Land Charges and Agricultural Credits departments and our Information Systems Directorate.

    The Land Register, comprising more than 20 million titles, has been open to public inspection since December 1990.

    Our principal aims are:

    • to maintain and develop a stable and effective land registration system throughout England and Wales as the cornerstone for the creation and free movement of interests in land
    • on behalf of the Crown, to guarantee title to registered estates and interests in land for the whole of England and Wales
    • to provide ready access to up-to-date and guaranteed land information enabling confident dealings in property and security of title
    • to provide a Land Charges and Agricultural Credits service.