Buying a home could become a little bit easier after HM Land Registry announced it would now accept witnessed electronic signatures.
The move is being hailed as paving the way for a completely digital home buying process but also comes as social distancing rules mean signing and witnessing property deeds in the traditional way can be difficult.
Simon Hayes, chief executive and chief land registrar at the Land Registry said: “What we have done today is remove the last strict requirement to print and sign a paper document in a home buying or other property transaction.
“This should help right now while lots of us are working at home, but it is also a keystone of a truly digital, secure and more efficient conveyancing process that we believe is well within reach.
“The more sophisticated qualified electronic signatures are a part of that vision and encouraging those is where our attention will be directed next.”
During the lockdown HM Land Registry started accepting deeds which had been signed using the ‘mercury signing approach’ to enable property transactions to run more smoothly during the pandemic.
This method, which allows a ‘pen’ signature to be captured with a scanner or camera to be sent to the conveyancer, will remain in place as an alternative to completing a deed.
But Adam Forshaw, managing director at leading tech-driven conveyancers, O’Neill Patient said even before Covid-19 and social distancing, there was significant demand for a more tech-driven process in this area.
“One of the biggest problems facing the property sector in lockdown was the ongoing requirement for ‘wet-ink’ signatures,” he said.
Forshaw added: “This is a significant step forward for homebuyers, as it means that in principle the entire homebuying journey can now be conducted electronically.
“The Land Registry is to be commended for moving quickly from consultation to new guidance. We look forward to working with them on their additional proposals to accept ‘qualified electronic signatures’, which will further improve security and remove the need for a witness altogether.”
