Guidance

Discharge of charges (PG31)

Guidance about discharges of registered and noted charges, aimed at conveyancers (practice guide 31).

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

Details

This guide deals with discharges of registered and noted charges and withdrawals of notices of deposit of land and charge certificates. It is aimed at conveyancers and you should interpret references to ‘you’ accordingly.

How to avoid HM Land Registry requisitions

Watch this video about discharges.

How to avoid Land Registry requisitions: Discharges

This is part of a series of videos on how to avoid requisitions.

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Published 13 October 2003
Last updated 18 September 2023 + show all updates
  1. Sections 6.7 'What Land Registry issue on completion of an electronic discharge' and 7.8 'What Land Registry will issue on completion of registration of an e-DS1' have been removed and section 7.5 has been amended as we no longer send borrower redemption letters

  2. Section 2.1 has been amended to clarify that a paper form DS1 may take longer to process than a discharge sent via our online channels.

  3. More background added to section 7 about discharges of charges against multiple titles, or multiple charges against the same title.

  4. Section 3.2.3 has been added giving guidance on discharges of a sub-charge.

  5. Section 2.9 has been updated to confirm that where a foreign company is already registered as proprietor of a registered charge we do not require evidence as to its status.

  6. Section 2.9 has been amended to make the guidance clearer.

  7. Section 8 has been amended to clarify when a restriction will not be automatically cancelled on a discharge of charge.

  8. Following customer comment we have clarified our requirements for evidence of identity in section 2.1.

  9. Section 8 has been amended. Where a charge is released as part independent of a transfer of part a note will normally be added to any restriction in favour of the charge that the restriction does not affect the part released.

  10. Video about How to avoid Land Registry requisitions: Discharges added.

  11. Section 3.2.2 has been amended to reflect that MR04 is now the correct Companies House form to be used for a declaration of satisfaction of a floating charge.

  12. Sections 6.6 and 7.7 have been amended to give guidance on using the application enquiry service in Land Registry’s portal.

  13. Link to the advice we offer added.

  14. First published.