At a glance Around 400,000 fewer avoidable requisition points were raised in 2025 than in 2022. Annual totals fell from 839,000 in 2022 to 439,000 in 2025 - a 47.7% reduction Adjusted for application volumes, the rate still fell by 39.1%, showing that most of the improvement came from fewer avoidable points per application The positive trend continued into 2026, with around 94 points per 1,000 applications between January and September - 11% fewer than in 2025 This progress reflects the shared efforts of conveyancers, post-completion teams, industry bodies and HM Land Registry caseworkers A shared achievement
Avoidable requisitions have fallen substantially since 2022. We would like to thank conveyancers, post-completion teams, industry bodies and HM Land Registry caseworkers for the time, care and commitment that have made this possible.
Fewer avoidable requisitions is good news for professional customers, their clients and HM Land Registry. It means fewer delays, less additional work and a smoother application process. Conveyancers can spend less time resolving past issues that could have been prevented and more time progressing new transactions for their clients.
It also frees up HM Land Registry caseworkers to process more applications more quickly and to focus on the genuinely challenging issues in registration law.
A requisition is a request for more information or action. A single requisition may contain more than one avoidable point, covering separate errors or omissions that could usually have been prevented before submission. This is why we sometimes refer to avoidable points when describing the data.
Common avoidable requisition points include name discrepancies, identity evidence errors, unclear plans or missing supporting documents.
Avoidable requisition points fell year on year between 2022 and 2025. By 2025, we were raising 400,000 fewer per year than in 2022. Annual totals fell from 839,000 in 2022 to 439,000 in 2025 - a reduction of 47.7%. Application volumes also changed during the same period, but even after adjusting for this, the number of avoidable points relative to application intake fell by 39.1%. This shows that most of the improvement came from fewer avoidable points per application, rather than simply from a change in workload.
And the positive trend continues. Between January and September 2026, there were around 94 avoidable requisition points per 1,000 applications, 11% fewer than in 2025 and almost half (46%) the number in 2022.
Why the improvement mattersSubmitting complete and correct applications saves time across the property transaction and registration process. In 2025, around 400,000 fewer avoidable requisition points were raised than in 2022. We estimate this represents a saving of around £12 million in industry time spent resolving preventable issues.
How did we reach that figure? When we began talking more widely about avoidable requisitions in 2022 and 2023, it became clear that the number of avoidable points alone did not fully show their practical impact on conveyancing firms.
To help make the scale of the issue more tangible, HM Land Registry economists and data analysts developed an indicative cost benchmark. Using published sector pay rates and an estimate of the staff time involved, they calculated an indicative cost of up to £31.42 per point. We first used this benchmark in our 2024 blog, The Scale and Cost of Requisitions, to illustrate the potential impact on the industry.
Applying the same benchmark to the latest figures provides a consistent comparison. It is not a calculation of the actual saving made by individual firms: costs will vary according to who handles the work and how long it takes. The benchmark is based on 2023 pay data and has not been adjusted for inflation, so it may understate the equivalent cost today.
The improvement does, however, reflect action across the sector, and we would like to thank everyone who has contributed. Conveyancers and post-completion teams have strengthened checks, reviewed their requisition data and made use of training and guidance. Industry bodies have helped share good practice and raise awareness. HM Land Registry has introduced more digital checks, while caseworkers and support teams have continued to improve how requisitions are raised.
Stephen Ward, Deputy Chief Executive, Council for Licensed Conveyancers, said: “It is good to see avoidable requisition rates coming down through work that is going on across the sector. The publication of data on avoidable requisitions is proving to be just as constructive as we had hoped, helping conveyancers to understand what is working and where further progress can be made. We encourage conveyancers to use the data, make use of available training, talk about the issues and learn from each other. The CLC will continue to work closely with conveyancers to maintain this progress and protect clients and mortgage lenders.”
Internal checks show that fewer cases now involve an unnecessary requisition or one where the recorded reason did not accurately reflect the issue. Together, these quality issues affected 12% of checked cases in 2022/23, falling to 10% in 2024/25 and 8% in 2025/26. This suggests that internal checks, guidance and learning are helping caseworkers raise the right requisitions more consistently.
Neil Kelly, Deputy Director Enterprise Design, said: “Around 400,000 fewer avoidable requisitions were raised in 2025 than in 2022. That is a significant shared achievement and reflects the care and effort of conveyancers, post-completion teams, industry bodies and HM Land Registry colleagues. Most importantly, it means less time and cost spent resolving preventable issues, helping applications progress more quickly and smoothly for everyone involved. Thank you to everyone who has helped make this possible.”
What has helpedThere is no single reason for the fall. Better use of data, stronger checks before submission – including digital checks, more targeted training and support, and continued attention to application quality have all played a part.
Customers can use the free webinars, videos and learning resources on HM Land Registry’s training hub to help prevent common errors. For our part, we will continue to improve guidance and training, strengthen internal practice, implement digital checks and help caseworkers raise the right requisition, record it accurately and explain it clearly.
Next: turning progress into practical actionThe overall picture is encouraging, but some avoidable requisition reasons remain much more common than others. In Part 2, we focus on the highest-impact issues, the checks that can prevent them and what HM Land Registry will do to support further improvement.
We welcome your comments about this blog in the comments below. Please note that we are unable to discuss individual cases through the comments section and would request that all such queries be directed to our Contact Us web form where you will receive a response as soon as possible.
seen at 10:38, 12 October in HM Land Registry.