Compulsory Registration – Implications For Vendors And Purchasers

Background

There are two mutually exclusive systems for registering title in Ireland, the Registry of Deeds and the Land Registry, and both are now controlled and managed by the Property Registration Authority. Confusingly, land registered in the Registry of Deeds is stated to have "unregistered title" with land registered in the Land Registry having "registered title".

The most notable advantages of registering title in the Land Registry are:

1. the title shown on the register is guaranteed by the State. The Land Registry must indemnify any person who suffers a loss due to any registration mistake it makes. In contrast, solicitors must read title deeds to establish title to unregistered land and the expertise of the solicitor is relied upon in this respect.