Anthony Hockham and his family have been waiting for over two years to have their new build house in Reading fully registered with HM Land Registry (HMLR), a delay that has rendered their property unmortgageable and cost them thousands of pounds in increased interest payments. The family moved into their £485,000 four-bedroom home in March 2024, but it was not until February of this year that they discovered the registration was still incomplete when attempting to remortgage.
This oversight has left the Hockhams stuck on their lender's standard variable rate of 5.5 percent, paying £1,202 per month. Had their remortgage gone through as planned in April, they would have been paying approximately £1,032 per month. The delay has caused their previously secured mortgage offer at 3.49 percent to expire, and current market rates mean they are now likely to face a rate closer to 5 percent when they can eventually remortgage.
Delays in property title registration have become more common since the pandemic, with waits of six to 12 months or more not unusual. However, the Hockhams' situation is exacerbated by issues with the original developer's application for the same property. HMLR stated that problems with new build purchases can occur, and in this case, there were several issues with the developer's application, including errors and omissions that required HMLR to seek clarifications. The developer's registration was submitted only two months before Mr. Hockham's application.
While ownership rights are legally secured when an application is submitted to HMLR, financial institutions require a clear and undisputed fully registered title before releasing mortgage funds. The Hockhams have been in communication with their solicitors, mortgage brokers, and HMLR to resolve the matter. They have faced repeated extensions on their remortgage offer, which has now expired.
Anthony Hockham has filed a claim with HMLR for £6,105.88, representing the current and projected future losses due to the prolonged delay. He expressed frustration over the slow process, noting that HMLR did not begin processing his application until January 2026, despite it being lodged shortly after they completed the purchase in early March 2024. HMLR has confirmed that Mr. Hockham's application has now been completed and is being handled by their complaints team.
HM Land Registry indicated that approximately 20 percent of applications result in requests for more information, which can add significant time to the process depending on the complexity and the responsiveness of all parties involved. For commercial transactions, this figure can rise to around 60 percent. The agency also noted that delays can occur if they are awaiting action from third parties, such as lenders or conveyancers, or if a statutory notice period needs to expire.
