ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the law of land registration as it exists today – that is, under the Leasehold Reform Act (LRA) 2002. The Land Register is intended to provide a comprehensive picture of title ownership in England and Wales, and ‘registration of title’ has replaced ‘title deeds’ as the proof of that ownership. The LRA 2002, and the Land Registration Rules 200326 made thereunder, contain the details of the current system of registered land. Land law has to reflect the needs of commerce, families, financial institutions, neighbours, purchasers and occupiers. The mirror principle encapsulates the idea that the register should reflect the totality of the rights and interests concerning a title of registered land. A register of land titles, especially one that is designed to be conclusive for most purposes, will always generate cases in which loss is caused to innocent parties simply because of the way the system works.
