Digital mortgage service registers 7,000th deed

• The 7,000th remortgage deed was signed and registered digitally in February, coming just four months after the 1,000th deed was registered
• Many of the country’s largest mortgage lenders are using the service daily, with more and more deeds being created every week
• Leading conveyancer companies have also joined the digital mortgage revolution

The registration of the 7,000th deed demonstrates the confidence in, and the ease of use of, the service by citizens, lenders and conveyancers.

It follows the registration of the 1,000th deed in October 2019. The number of digital remortgages being registered is increasing so quickly it’s likely that almost 8,000 deeds will have been registered digitally by the end of the month. By volume, the top 3 lenders are HSBC, Santander and Nationwide and the top 3 conveyancers are LMS, Enact and Optima.

Michelle Andrews, HSBC UK’s Head of Buying A Home, said:

We are always looking at how we can improve the service we provide to our customers and using ‘digital deeds’ is another way we have been able to speed up the journey for existing customers who switch rates. We are extremely proud to have delivered 1 in 3 of all digital deeds signed and registered so far and look forward to providing many more during 2020.

Nick Chadbourne, Chief Executive Officer of conveyancing solutions provider LMS, commented:

The Land Registry’s digital application portal reaching 7,000 applications is a fantastic milestone, and we’re proud to be supporting them in this achievement.

It’s an exciting time for the industry and there’s a great deal more to come. In particular, at LMS we are currently working to expand the case types who can reap the benefits of digital mortgage applications. We are looking to drive this innovation by linking more trusted lenders and lawyers with potential borrowers and continuously working to provide the most streamlined and secure service to customers as possible.

Background

HM Land Registry has data for the first 7,000 digitally signed deeds that have been registered.

Top conveyancers

1. LMS

2. Enact

3. Optima

Top lenders

1. HSBC

2. Santander

3. Nationwide

Top combinations

1. LMS-Santander

2. LMS-HSBC

3. Optima-HSBC

Figures for remortgages registered after the first 7,000 won’t be available until the beginning of March 2020.

Details on the digital mortgage service – ‘Sign your mortgage deed’

The service was launched by HM Land Registry to reduce paperwork and delays when applying for a remortgage.

Some customers have been able to complete the remortgage process in 3 days, 18 days less than average for a paper transaction.

The only information needed is an email address, a mobile phone number and the borrower’s date of birth and eliminates the need for witnesses and physical paperwork.

Because the whole process is completed online, it can be done at any time of the day and anywhere with an internet connection, meaning the service isn’t delayed by people waiting until they get home, needing to buy stamps, or making the last post.

The service is currently available for people remortgaging their houses, with HM Land Registry planning on expanding the service to all home owners in the future.

1. The lenders actively using the digital mortgage service are Barclays, Coventry Building Society, HSBC, Nationwide and The Mortgage Works, Principality Building Society, RBS and NatWest, Santander and TSB.

2. The conveyancers using the service are Enact, Hugh James, LMS, O’Neill Patient, Optima, QCAS (Shulmans) and Solex (via LMS).

3. Customers with the mortgage lenders listed above should talk to their conveyancer about using the free and fast new service.

4. HM Land Registry is working with other mortgage lenders and conveyancers to help them get ready to use the new service. Mortgage lenders and conveyancers who are interested in using the service should contact