May the 4th Be with You

Today, 4th May, 2020, the Land Registry have published an important update to their approach who is now able to verify a person’s identity, and, importantly, to how deeds can be now be validly executed.

Changes to who can now verify your identity

The Land Registry have published temporary guidance to modify the previous rules regarding who may now to verify a person’s identity. This is subject to revocation or modification as the CV-19 situation unfolds.

The previous approved persons list has been temporarily relaxed to allow non – conveyancers to verify a person’s identity, Also, retired persons from certain professions can now verify identity:

Until further notice, any of the following can now verify a person’s identity:

A retired conveyancer, solicitor, barrister or chartered legal executive;
Medical doctor
Dentist
Chartered or certified accountant
Police officer
Magistrate
Veterinary surgeon
Bank official or regulated IFA
MP and Welsh Assembly Member
Teacher
College and university teaching staff
UK civil servant or senior executive officer (SEO) grade or above
An officer in the UK armed forces

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The following temporary forms must also be used:

Form ID3 (verification by a private individual (as listed above)):

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/certificate-of-identity-for-a-private-individual-id3

or;

ID4 (verification by a corporate body (as listed above)):

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/certificate-of-identity-for-a-body-corporate-id4

Video Verification

Importantly, verification of identity can now also be carried out via a video call , although there are strict rules on how this is performed and a new form may need to be filled in by the Conveyancer if this approach is adopted:

Execution of Deeds via electronic means

The Land Registry will now, albeit on a temporary basis, accept “Mercury signings” (where each party signs the signature page, scans their signature page and then emails the signed page, together with the final version of the document they have signed to their conveyancer).

According to HMLR: “this means that , for land registration purposes, a signature page will need to be signed in pen and witnessed in person (not via video call). The signature will then need to be captured with a scanner or camera (PDF or JPEG)… [E]ach party sends a single email to their conveyancer to which is attached the final agreed copy of the document and the copy of the signed signature page.”

Please contact our Commercial Team for further information on and of the above.

At first instance: