Fees for registers and transfers of title will be subject to a fee increase by the end of the month, says HM Land Registry.

Conveyancers are warned of the first fee increase in 13 years, with other changes set to follow suit.

Last November, the agency announced that some of the fees would rise by up to 21 per cent from January 31, 2022.

Chief financial officer Iain Banfield said any applications started before that date but submitted on or after it, would also have to pay the new costs. The same goes for any applications submitted prior to January 31 but subsequently cancelled, rejected or resubmitted on or after that date.

Fees are being increased to allow HM Land Registry to deliver what customers require – more speed in service delivery. Investment in operational capacity and accelerating the digitalisation and automation of services, is required, according to his blog. 

There is a new abatement providing that no fee is payable to register a notice of a lease, where the application accompanies an application for the registration of the grant of an easement contained in the lease.