Our Organisation

Land Registers of Northern Ireland is based at
Lincoln Building,
27-45 Great Victoria Street,
Belfast,
BELFAST BT2 7SL.

Applications for registration (most commonly made by Solicitors) can be lodged either by post or in person at the Registries.  Searches of the official record can be made at the Registries' Public Counters which are open between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm Monday to Friday.  THERE IS NO NEED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT BEFORE VISITING ANY OF THE REGISTRIES.

There are three separate Registries -

Registry of Deeds

There has been a system of registration of documents relating to unregistered land (land which is not registered in Land Registry) since 1708.  Under this system a written summary of the relevant document is lodged in the Registry of Deeds with the original document.  This summary, known as a "Memorial", is retained in the Registry and the original document is returned to the person who lodged it.  Any person may search the Registry's Index of Names to obtain details of any particular transaction.  The Registry does not guarantee that any document registered is valid or has any legal effect; it merely records the document's existence and its priority date.

Land Registry

The Land Registry was established in 1892 and historically most registered land (land registered in the Land Registry) is rural land.  Unlike the Registry of Deeds, Land Registry does not merely provide a mechanical registration system; it actually guarantees the validity of the legal title.  It also records interests relating to individual holdings of land, for example, rights of way, mortgages, etc.  This official record known as the "Register" is open to inspection by the public. The Registrar of Titles has a judicial role and the Registry can therefore provide an inexpensive procedure for resolving disputes relating to registered land.

Statutory Charges Registry

This Registry was set up in 1951 to provide purchasers of land with an easy method of checking whether a property is affected by certain statutory restrictions which could not easily be discovered otherwise.  These restrictions which for the most part are created by or in favour of Government Departments or Local Authorities include, for example, matters relating to Planning Permission and Tree Preservation Orders.

 

Our purpose

The Agency's purpose is to record accurate details of legal interest in land in Northern Ireland and to provide a fast and accurate land information service to facilitate the process of conveyancing.  We will -

• guarantee the validity of title to registered land;
• protect the priority of conveyancing transactions for unregistered properties;
• supply fast, accurate, reliable and cost-effective information about ownership and other rights affecting land; and
• provide an inexpensive judicial procedure for resolving disputes concerning registered land.