Press release: HM Land Registry makes commercial ownership data free

Today, HM Land Registry is making available, for free, data on land or property in England and Wales where the registered legal owner is a UK company or corporate body, or an overseas company.

The Commercial and Corporate Ownership Data and Overseas Companies Ownership Data contain more than 3 million rows of data and include the address, company’s name, price paid and country of incorporation along with other useful information.

By making the data available free of charge HM Land Registry is offering citizens and organisations the opportunity to scrutinise the records and discover which companies own land and property in England and Wales.

Today’s release also removes existing cost barriers that have previously restricted the use of the data. This will support growth in the property technology (PropTech) sector and among small and medium-sized enterprises.

Responding to the Government’s commitment to drive innovation in the digital economy, HM Land Registry will be opening up more of its datasets externally and across government to promote economic development, financial stability, tax collection, law enforcement and national security.

Chief Executive and Chief Land Registrar Graham Farrant said:

We are continually striving to make the best use of our hugely valuable data. Our ambition is to become ‘the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data’. The release of two significant sets of data today marks another important milestone in that journey.

We will be releasing more datasets in high quality and accessible formats to enable them to be used by anyone with an interest in land and property, supporting the growing digital economy and adding to the nation’s geospatial intelligence.

HM Land Registry is committed to protecting the register while encouraging greater use of the data. To safeguard against possible fraud or misuse, the datasets are being released under licence and require users to register to get access.

Notes to editors

1. Registration for the datasets is available from today, 7 November. When you complete the registration process, we will contact you by email within one working day (subject to the volume of applications).
2. Find out more about the Commercial and Corporate Ownership Data (CCOD) and Overseas Companies Ownership Data (OCOD).
3. Communities Secretary Sajid Javid’s call for evidence asks for views on innovative digital solutions, including making more data available online.
4. In February 2017 the Housing White Paper “Fixing our broken housing market” committed HM Land Registry to become the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data with an aim to achieve comprehensive registration of land in England and Wales by 2030.
5. HM Land Registry’s mission is to guarantee and protect property rights in England and Wales.
6. 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.
7. HM Land Registry safeguards land and property ownership worth more than £4 trillion, including more than £1 trillion of mortgages. The Land Register contains more than 25 million titles, which show evidence of ownership, covering more than 84% of the land mass.
8. For further information about HM Land Registry visit www.gov.uk/land-registry.
9. Follow us on Twitter @HMLandRegistry, our blog, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

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