From 6 April 2027, anyone who controls how land is used or developed will need to provide information to HM Land Registry. A significant undertaking lies ahead – and now is the time for developers and promoters to start laying the groundwork so they are ready to adapt when the landscape shifts. 

Contributor: Jamie Clarke 

The changes, in a nutshell:  

As part of the government's initiative to improve transparency about land use and development, draft legislation has recently been published which proposes reforms to contractual control land agreements. The regulations will require rights holders to register details of certain types of land agreements (including conditional contracts, pre-emption, promotion, and option agreements) with HM Land Registry. This information will then be published in a searchable database from 6 April 2028. 

  
While the responsibility for ensuring information is registered and kept up-to-date rests firmly with the party granting the contractual right, the submissions must be made by a regulated conveyancer. 

What this means for you:    
Presented to parliament on 9 March, the regulations are expected to be made in the first half of 2026. 

Depending on when you enter into an agreement, different deadlines to provide the necessary information to HM Land Registry will apply. 

If you enter into an agreement before 6 April 2027 (but after the regulations are made): You will need to instruct a regulated conveyancer to submit the relevant details to HM Land Registry by 6 October 2027. 

If you enter into a new agreement, or make changes to an existing one, after 6 April 2027: You will need to ensure that the relevant information is registered with HM Land Registry by a regulated conveyancer within 60 days. 

In all cases, you must ensure that HM Land Registry is notified if your agreement comes to an end. 

What can you do to prepare?

The deadlines may seem like a long way off, but with failure to comply amounting to a criminal offence, now is the time to start getting the lay of the land so you are prepared ahead of the changes taking effect.

Indeed, the requirements will present a significant undertaking for developers and promoters alike. Government guidance alludes to the possibility that HM Land Registry could refuse applications for notices or restrictions to be entered onto a title register in respect of a contract until the necessary information required by the regulations has been provided.

Establishing which of your agreements fall within the scope of the regulations will provide a strong starting point. From there, you can gather all the relevant information for those agreements so you have everything in place ahead of time, and start thinking about instructing a conveyancer to make your submission when the time comes.   

Key takeaways  

  • Determine whether your agreement(s) fall within the scope of the regulations.  
  • Start compiling information for your agreements ahead of time.  
  • Instruct a regulated conveyancer to complete your submission.