By Legal Futures Associate Osprey Approach
From November 2022, all register applications to HM Land registry will need to be made digitally, marking a step change in the current process.
Currently paper forms are accepted but these will be phased out when the changes are introduced. Similarly, if your process is to scan or populate a PDF and upload it, you’ll need to migrate to a completely digital AP1 form submission process from November.
To help law firms adjust to the new process, Osprey and InfoTrack are presenting a webinar covering the five steps that firms should take now to ensure they are “AP1 ready” in plenty of time for the changes coming in November.
The five steps you’ll need to take are set out below:
- Introduction of a digital process
Around 80% of the conveyancing sector submit a variation of paper forms, even if they are ‘electronic’, such as an uploaded PDF. However, from November 2022, if your firm’s process involves the manual completion and upload of AP1s, or you populate your form within Osprey and upload, you’ll need to employ a new digital process.
You can choose to use HM Land Registry’s DRS directly, although if you’re already integrated with InfoTrack via Osprey, you can instantly access digital AP1 submissions via the Business Gateway through your integration.
To date, over half a million digital AP1 applications have been submitted through InfoTrack’s platform. As the leading provider of digital AP1 submissions to HM Land Registry, making the switch with InfoTrack and Osprey couldn’t be easier.
- Understand the new validation process
HM Land Registry has introduced a new validation process to ensure the right information is entered correctly on the form. It means that HMLR can process the application quickly and with minimal questions, ultimately reducing the chance of requisitions.
Delays to your submissions may arise if you don’t understand the validations, and cause more requisitions, which hinders the overall process. Prepare by ensuring you’re familiar with the standard requirements and necessary validations in the digital platforms.
InfoTrack is focused on making it as easy as possible for you, which is why it helps to validate your titles, SDLT thresholds, registration type match, missing fields, role types, and more with its automatic checks. Ultimately, InfoTrack has refined its digital AP1 service over the last five years to help you reduce your risk of requisitions.
- Review your requisition management process
Requisitions are a pain point for conveyancers and impact on the current AP1 process. However, they remain an important part of the process, ensuring the information provided is accurate.
Managing and tracking requisitions is a time-consuming and complex process but, as you move to digital AP1s, you’ll also be required to change how your requisitions are managed.
Using InfoTrack’s AP1 dashboard via your Osprey integration makes the management, submission, and monitoring of AP1 applications intuitive and easy. Track each application, and access task lists and reminders to ensure you don’t miss expiring priorities or key dates.
The built-in ‘WhatsApp-style’ messaging solution connects you directly with the Land Registry caseworker to make responding to requisitions simple. You can also upload additional documentation if required, all within the same platform.
- Evaluate your AP1 draft and approval process
The post-completion process generally involves various people managing different stages of the transaction, with the role of drafting, reviewing, and ultimately submitting applications. As you move to digital AP1s, it would be wise to change how this is managed.
Currently, HMLR’s DRS doesn’t allow multiple users with different logins to review the same applications. Firms will need to assess how to review applications made online, while ensuring they don’t duplicate or lose data, which can cause significant delays.
InfoTrack’s interactive AP1 management system provides firm-wide transparency across all AP1 applications to ensure post-completion teams can easily locate and process applications.
- Start training now
HMLR’s new system will improve the accuracy of submissions, help reduce requisitions, and speed up the process. So, as with any major change, firms should start to prepare for the migration and ensure they understand the new systems at an early stage. By getting processes in place and undertaking training now, you can avoid teething issues before the deadline arrives.
Osprey integration with InfoTrack: digital AP1s made easy
If you migrate to submitting your AP1s digitally with Osprey and InfoTrack, you benefit from:
- Up to 90% of your digital AP1 form pre-populated using data mapped from Osprey, the Register, Property Report, SDLT, and more to save you time and reduce rekeying errors.
- The ability to submit your form as a single page in five minutes, so there’s no need to step through multiple pages to submit.
- Access to our integration with LMS enabling you to automatically send the submission receipt and completion of registration documents to your Lender.
- The ability to submit multiple forms in one application including Shared Ownership Staircasing or complex commercial sites.
- Guided validations that help to reduce your requisitions, including Land Tax thresholds, Power of Attorney, and Donor details.
- Immediate access to priority for your applications with digital submissions. You receive a submission receipt on submission, with your Land Registry Reference, as confirmation your application has been received successfully.
- Auto-population of your electronically signed TR1/TP1 and Conveyancer’s Certificate for electronically signed Deeds.
- Access to InfoTrack’s intuitive AP1 dashboard so you can contact your HMLR caseworker directly from within InfoTrack, respond to requisitions with guided response templates, or request action, while staying up to date with any correspondence.
Join Rich Dibbins and Kelly Cutler from InfoTrack, and Dave Dingle from Osprey, online on 8 June to discover how you can easily submit your digital AP1s through InfoTrack and its integration with Osprey Approach. Register to secure your place at the webinar.
Osprey Approach provides cloud-based, case management software to high-street, corporate and multi-branch law firms. With over 30 years’ experience in the legal software sector, Osprey’s system, implementation, and support services are designed to help make running a law firm easier. Find out more at www.ospreyapproach.com
