New practice guide outlines when and how to register contractual control agreements
Summary
HM Land Registry has published Practice Guide 84 to explain how contractual control agreements will need to be reported digitally from April 2027. The new regime, under the Provision of Information (Contractual Control) (Registered Land) Regulations 2026, covers arrangements such as option agreements, conditional contracts and pre-emption rights where they meet specified criteria.
Why it matters
Surveyors involved in development, land assembly or due diligence may encounter sites affected by contractual control rights that influence future use or disposal. The change also has implications for transaction transparency and the information that may need to be checked or disclosed in property work.
Key points
- Practice Guide 84 sets out when contractual control information must be provided to HM Land Registry.
- The regulations come into force on 6 April 2027, alongside a new digital submission service.
- Only a regulated legal professional can make the application on behalf of a grantee.
- HMLR expects contractual control data to be published publicly from April 2028.
- The regime is intended to improve transparency over who influences land use and development.
This is an RPSA summary of a publicly available article. The full content remains with the original publisher.
