Category: 0 Reviewed

In June:

• HM Land Registry completed more than 1,701,270 applications to change or query the Land Register
• the South East topped the table of regional applications with 391,741

HM Land Registry completed 1,701,272 applications in June compared with 1,723,578 in May and 1,690,237 last June, of which:

• 367,516 were applications for register updates compared with 373,423 in May
• 825,155 were applications for an official copy of a register compared with 848,600 in May
• 226,333 were search and hold queries (official searches) compared with 209,803 in May; and
• 24,801 were postal applications from non-account holders compared with 26,695 in May

Applications by region and country

Region/country	April applications	May applications	June applications
South East	373,677	398,029	391,741
Greater London	314,534	332,546	324,861
North West	184,504	194,722	189,790
South West	159,528	169,351	166,626
West Midlands	140,096	147,196	146,855
Yorkshire and the Humber	121,756	131,727	128,441
East Midlands	115,347	121,511	121,551
Wales	75,111	78,038	77,307
North	73,765	78,596	79,945
East Anglia	66,644	71,749	74,017
Isles of Scilly	69	41	66
England and Wales (not assigned)	67	72	72
Total	1,625,098	1,723,578	1,701,272

Top 5 local authority areas

Top 5 local authority areas	April applications	Top 5 local authority areas	May applications	Top 5 local authority areas	June applications
Birmingham	25,990	Birmingham	26,902	Birmingham	25,724
City of Westminster	22,505	City of Westminster	24,121	City of Westminster	23,468
Leeds	18,630	Leeds	19,782	Leeds	19,257
Manchester	16,698	Cornwall	18,301	Cornwall	17,591
Cornwall	16,343	Manchester	17,347	Manchester	16,765

Top 5 customers

Top 5 customers	April applications	Top 5 customers	May applications	Top 5 customers	June applications
Enact	48,943	Enact	53,314	Enact	53,868
Optima Legal Services	26,741	Infotrack Limited	28,453	Infotrack Limited	29,175
O’Neill Patient	25,473	Optima Legal Services	28,173	O’Neill Patient	26,523
Infotrack Limited	24,411	O’Neill Patient	26,645	Optima Legal Services	26,239
TM Group (UK) Ltd	18,058	TM Group (UK) Ltd	22,706	TM Group (UK) Ltd	21,465

Access the full dataset on data.gov.uk.

Notes to editors

1. Transaction Data is published on the 15th working day of each month. The July Transaction Data will be published at 11am on Tuesday 21 August 2018 at HM Land Registry Monthly Property Transaction Data.
2. The monthly Transaction Data showing how many applications for new titles, leases, splitting titles, updating existing titles, official copies of the register and search and hold queries (official searches) were received, reflects the volume of applications lodged by customers using an HM Land Registry account number on their application form.
3. We are challenging ourselves to reassess our language to make our terms understandable to both our commercial and our citizen customers. This is in line with our commitment set out in the Business Strategy 2017-2022 under the ‘simplicity’ element of our ambition.
4. Completed applications in England and Wales shown by region and by local authority include postal applications as well as those sent electronically.
5. Transaction Data excludes: pending applications, bankruptcy applications, bulk applications and discharge applications (to remove a charge, for example a mortgage, from the register).
6. Transactions for value are applications lodged involving a transfer of ownership for value. For an explanation of other terms used, see abbreviations used in the transaction data.
7. Most search and hold queries (official searches) carried out by a solicitor or conveyancer are to protect the purchase and/or mortgage. For example, a search and hold query will give the buyer priority for an application to HM Land Registry to register the purchase of the property. This can give an indication of market activity.
8. Reasonable skill and care is used in the provision of the data. We strive to ensure that the data is as accurate as possible but cannot guarantee that it is free from error. We cannot guarantee our data is fit for your intended purpose or use.
9. Transaction Data is available free of charge for use and re-use under the Open Government Licence (OGL). The licence allows public bodies to make their data available for re-use.
10. If you use or publish the Transaction Data, you must add the following attribution statement: Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2018. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
11. HM Land Registry’s mission is to guarantee and protect property rights in England and Wales.
12. HM Land Registry is a government department created in 1862. It operates as an executive agency and a trading fund and its running costs are covered by the fees paid by the users of its services. Its ambition is to become the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data.
13. HM Land Registry safeguards land and property ownership worth in excess of £4 trillion, including around £1 trillion of mortgages. The Land Register contains more than 25 million titles showing evidence of ownership for some 85% of the land mass of England and Wales.
14. For further information about HM Land Registry visit www.gov.uk/land-registry.
15. Follow us on Twitter @HMLandRegistry our blog and LinkedIn and Facebook.

Contact

Shui Ping Lee, also known as David Lee and David Shui Ping Lee, was the sole director of Goodwin Ichiban Limited (Goodwin). The company was incorporated in June 2011 and traded as Ichiban Noodle café and Ichiban Fusion from 184 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow.

In January 2017, Home Office Immigration Enforcement requested evidence of the document checks made in respect of an employee. As a result of that check, on 9 February 2017 Goodwin Ichiban was fined £15,000 for employing an illegal worker.

However, the company was unable to pay the fine and was placed into liquidation in October 2017.

Following the conclusion of the liquidation, the Insolvency Service investigated the company’s failure and on 31 May 2018, the Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from Shui Ping Lee after he admitted that the company had employed an illegal worker.

Shui Ping Lee, 55 from Glasgow, is disqualified from acting as a director of a company for three-and-a-half years – effective from 21 June 2018.

Commenting on the ban, Dave Elliot, lead investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:

Illegal workers are not protected under employment law, and as well as cheating legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities, these employers don’t ensure appropriate tax is paid, and as a result can undercut honest competitors.

This should serve as a warning to other directors who may feel tempted to break the law.
“Immigration laws make employers responsible for preventing illegal workers in the UK. To comply with the law, a company must check and be able to prove documents have been checked prior to recruitment showing that a person is entitled to work in the UK.

Notes to editors

Sui Ping Lee is of Glasgow and his date of birth is September 1962.

Company Goodwin Ichiban Ltd (Company Reg no. 07653106) was incorporated on 1 June 2011 and was placed into creditors’ voluntary liquidation on 2 October 2017.

Mr Lee signed an undertaking on 28 May 2018, which was accepted by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy on 31 May 2018.

A disqualification order has the effect that without specific permission of a court, a person with a disqualification cannot:

• act as a director of a company
• take part, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership
• be a receiver of a company’s property

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings.

Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions.

The Insolvency Service administers the insolvency regime, investigating all compulsory liquidations and individual insolvencies (bankruptcies) through the Official Receiver to establish why they became insolvent. It may also use powers under the Companies Act 1985 to conduct confidential fact-finding investigations into the activities of live limited companies in the UK. In addition, the agency deals with disqualification of directors in corporate failures, assesses and pays statutory entitlement to redundancy payments when an employer cannot or will not pay employees, provides banking and investment services for bankruptcy and liquidation estate funds and advises ministers and other government departments on insolvency law and practice.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

Contact Press Office

Media enquiries for this press release – 020 7674 6910 or 020 7596 6187

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

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Campsite bookings in the UK are reportedly up by as much as 5 per cent year on year as people take advantage of the weather.

And drivers enjoying a staycation in this country or travelling further afield as schools break up for the summer are urged to have a good look at their vehicles before setting off on journeys.

Almost half of all breakdowns are caused by simple mechanical problems that could be avoided with simple checks and nearly a quarter are caused by tyre problems.

Meanwhile, around 20 motorists break down every day because they have run out of fuel.

Highways England Head of Road Safety, Richard Leonard, said:

We want all drivers to arrive at their destinations safely this summer and I’d urge motorists to make sure they are ready for their journey by checking their vehicles beforehand.

Simple checks on tyres, fuel and oil levels help prevent breakdowns and it’s also worth making sure you’re prepared for the journey, especially in hot weather, by stocking up on water and checking travel conditions before setting off.

Iain Geddes, from the Camping and Caravanning Club, supported that message, saying:

The strategic road network presents the best way for campers to get away this summer. We recommend planning your route and considering what time you travel to avoid being part of a rush-hour bottle neck.

Don’t forget the basic checks of the tyres and vehicle fluids before you go. Also watch out for traffic advice on the matrix signs overhead to help you have a drama-free journey.

And Martin Spencer, from the Caravan and Motorhome Club, added:

Our members take numerous trips each year, especially during the summer, and England’s motorways and major A roads are vital in enabling them to get to their destination.

For anyone who is thinking about going on a caravan holiday but is intimidated by the idea of towing, they should be reassured that towing can be relaxed, easy and comfortable on our roads – you just need to get the basic set-up right and follow expert advice.

Highways England has produced five short instructional videos featuring traffic officer Siobhan Wares, explaining how to check tyre pressure, tyre tread, oil and water levels and lights to help prevent needless breakdowns and cut the unnecessary delays they cause.

The videos cover:

• checking tyres: prior to setting off on a long/significant journey, check your tyre pressures are suitable for the load and the condition of your tyres, including the spare. Look out for cuts or wear and make sure the tyres have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, which is the legal limit.
• checking engine oil: use your dipstick to check oil regularly and before any long journey, and top up if needed. Take your car back to the garage if you’re topping up more than usual.
• checking water: to ensure you have good visibility, always keep your screen wash topped up so you can clear debris or dirt off your windscreen.
• checking lights: if your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not functioning properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. In addition, light malfunctions can be a reason for your vehicle to fail its MoT.

Motorists are also urged to:

• check fuel: before setting out, check your fuel levels and make sure you have enough to get to your destination.

And people are urged to make sure they are prepared for their journey when the weather is hot.

Drivers should:

• take a bottle of water before setting out to ensure you stay hydrated
• plan in breaks and leave plenty of time for journeys
• check the weather forecast for your destination
• check travel conditions before setting out and, where it is safe to do so, during journeys
• ensure you and your car are fit for the journey

For more information on how to carry out your vehicle checks, visit the Vehicle Checks website.

As more smart motorways are introduced it is becoming increasingly important that drivers familiarise themselves with driving on them. One of the most important signals – the Red X – is used to identify when a lane is closed and indicates that drivers should move into an open lane to continue their journeys. Driving in a closed lane is risky, as there could be debris in the road or an accident or breakdown up ahead. Keeping the lane clear gives the emergency services the access they need to help. For further advice, please visit our web page on Driving on a Smart Motorway.

More information can be found on our website or by calling our information line (0300 123 5000) where you can keep up to date with conditions on the roads.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.