Restore Records Management is working with HM Land Registry to digitise historic files that include a property lease, one of the most frequently requested documents, helping to drive improved efficiencies in its service.

Restore has been helping HM Land Registry - a non-ministerial department which registers the ownership of land and property in England and Wales - for almost 15 years, looking after the document management of its archived paper records.

This latest project continues a focus on scanning the most regularly retrieved documents to reduce ongoing handling costs and provide a quicker service for customers and HM Land Registry caseworkers when requesting documents, ultimately speeding up the process for prospective property buyers.

Nigel Dews, Managing Director at Restore Records Management said, “Land Registry property documents have been digital since 2008 but older files are all hard copies, stored and managed by Restore. Traditionally we pick the records on request, for instance when a solicitor requires them, then scan and deliver the following day. But for documents which are needed most often it can be more efficient and cost effective to digitise in bulk.”

Nigel continued, “In 2020, when the pandemic meant the majority of HM Land Registry caseworkers had to work from home, we advised and led a project to begin digitising documents which include a lease, because these are the most regularly required. We have continued to work with HM Land Registry to digitise a second tranche of these documents. It underlines our strategic partnership with HM Land Registry, and we are delighted to be able to help.”

The value of scanning these records is clear. It enables same-day retrieval of documents, creating a simpler, paperless process for buying and selling property which benefits homeowners across the country.

Eve Foster at HM Land Registry said, “Restore helped us to identify the records which are most frequently requested. This helped us drive efficiencies in our service, provide long-term cost savings but most importantly to support our vision to deliver a more efficient, fully digital property market.”

Nigel Dews added, “This project highlights that a document management partner can bring valuable strategic input. Due to the scale of the records we hold for HM Land Registry it makes sense to scan those which are most likely to be needed. We researched which documents are needed most often and discovered leases were most in demand. Working with HM Land Registry we identified all files which included a lease and recommended these be the focus of a digitisation programme.”

Photo: Restore Records Management Managing Director, Nigel Dews.