Received a Unilateral notice today...what is it?

[Weallrolledoverandonefellout]

Hi...we got this notice through the post today..I have no idea what is it, what it means or why we have it...it sounds pretty scary to be honest. Can anyone help . Thank you.

Can you type out what it says?

Thanks for replying...It says UNILATERAL NOTICE in respect of a claim to rights excepted to The Lord of the Manor on enfranchisement of copy hold land. Then gives details of the BENEFICIARY. there is a explanatory leaflet, but it doesn't seem to be written in plain English, or tell me what exactly the claim is!

Ok, that sounds like its from the land registry.

If a property is registered at the land registry, anybody can apply to put a unilateral notice on the registered title information.

The land registry will have received an application to put on this notice. They've written to you to let you know about this.

If you don't reply, the land registry will assume you agree that this notice is fair, so will put it on your title.

If you object, you need to contact the land registry to say so. As you don't know or really understand what it relates to, you should object!

The land registry has a very helpful website re what to do.

Ok...I'll have a look at the website..it's v worrying...the house has been remortgaged in the last couple of years, and nothing has ever come up in conveyancing...thanks for your help...I'll phone the sols tomorrow as we'll...

Look for Practice Guide 22 on the Land Registry site which explains rights of a Lord of the Manor. Fortunately these don't include the infamous ius primae noctis of legend but tend to be to do with mining and sporting rights. A short discussion with a solicitor might be helpful.

This has come about as a change in the law has meant that rights that were classed as overriding interests, like manorial rights and chancel repair liability, must now be registered in order to be valid. The deadline for this is 12 October. So the beneficiary is aiming to protect their rights or they would lose them. Land Registry's Public Guide 25 is useful, but you may have a copy of that already?

Rights like this generally wouldn't be noticed in conveyancing, as they were unregistered. As pp have said, the law is about to change so that these rights will only be binding if they are registered, so beneficiaries are putting them on the register in a hurry.

Definitely challenge it with the land registry - if you challenge it then it will only go on the register if the beneficiary can prove they have these rights.

Generally manorial rights are not that likely to actually affect you, they might be rights to fish in a lake or hunt through your fields or something, but they are very old and unlikely to affect your typical housing area.

That's really helpful everyone thank you...I am looking into it this morning, and getting the form to cancel the registration...I can't get through to the solicitors though....thanks again....I always seem to sit down and read these things right at the time I can't do anything about it, then go to bed worrying!

Ok just going through this at the mo, check all historic deeds, if there is a mention of the chancel in there then depending on how its worded it can be removed, if no mention at all then unfortunately there is nothing you can you, but you can take out insurance incase of a claim, or fill in a form UN4 you dont need any proof either, but if they have proof then it will be put back on.

We are just filling form and copying proof to get removed, so check historic deeds not the current title deeds as it goes back the Henry VII

Hope that helps, if not ask n will try n answer any further questions