Acronyms
Always write them out in full the first time you use them.
Amongst
Use among instead to make it plain English.
HMLR content style guide
The HMLR style guide is a list of content styles and terms that are specific to HMLR. For example, names of caseworking systems, acronyms and what we call common tasks.
Business e-services
Only the first letter should be capitalised
Commonhold
One word, does not need capitalising except at the beginning of a sentence. A way of owning an individual property that is a part of a bigger property (for example, a flat in a block). It is an alternative to leasehold. Each individual unit is exclusively owned by a unit-holder and the common areas (for example, stairways and corridors) are owned by a commonhold association.
Dataset
Should be written as one word.
DJP
Death of a Joint Proprietor
Easements
Does not need capitalising unless at the beginning of a sentence. An easement is a right that one piece of land has over another piece of land. Common examples are rights of drainage, rights of way and rights of support.
Electronic services
The e should always be lower case and joined with a hyphen to the service, for example, e-DRS, e-conveyancing, e-services.
Forms
Lower case for standard forms ‘form AP1’ but a capital for types of restriction ‘Form A’.
Fractions
Spell out common fractions for example ‘one-third’, ‘three-quarters’. Use numerals for complex fractions, fractions combined with whole numbers and decimal fractions.
Freehold
One word, does not need capitalising except at the beginning of a sentence. Freehold continues for an indefinite time without payment of rent. It can be sold or given away and is the type of ownership that is nearest to owning land absolutely. Most houses are freehold, and most flats are leasehold.
HM Land Registry
Use singular is and has.
Land Charges
Should be capitalised.
Land Register
Capitalise for the first mention and then use ‘the register’. This is an overall register containing the individual title registers.
Leasehold
One word, does not need capitalising except at the beginning of a sentence. A leasehold is granted by a landlord to a tenant. A leasehold lasts for a fixed time which will be set out in the lease. The tenant often has to pay rent to the landlord and this is also set out in the lease. Most flats are leasehold.
Links
Should be at the beginning or end of a sentence to make it easier to scan. Mid-sentence links can cause challenges for autistic users. Link text should be unique.
Notice
Can be an information notice or an objection notice, does not need capitalising unless at the beginning of a sentence.
Obtain
Try to use a plain English word where possible, for example, ‘get’.
Official copy
Does not need capitalising unless at the beginning of a sentence.
Practice Guidance
Initial capitals. Advice and information for caseworkers.
PPI
Price Paid Index.
The portal
Should not be capitalised except at the beginning of a sentence.
Register
Does not need capitalising unless at the beginning of a sentence. Use ‘in the register’ instead of ‘on the register’.
Restriction
Does not need capitalising unless at the beginning of a sentence. There are several types, RX1 to enter a restriction, RX2 to modify a restriction, RX3 to remove a restriction and RX4 to cancel a restriction.
Restrictive covenants
Capital at the start of a sentence. Sentence case otherwise. A restrictive covenant is a contract between two landowners. One landowner promises the other landowner not to carry out particular acts on their own land.
SDLT
Stands for Stamp Duty Land Tax.
SEV
Stands for severance and is an application to change a joint tenancy.
Tenure
The various ways that you can own a property. Typically it can be freehold, leasehold, or leasehold with a share of the freehold.
Title register
A title register is for an individual property. Does not need capitalising unless at the beginning of a sentence.
Title plan
A plan for an individual property. Does not need capitalising unless at the beginning of a sentence.
UN
Stands for Unilateral Notice, there several types, UN1 is an application to enter, UN2 is an application to remove, UN3 is to register as a beneficiary for an existing notice, UN4 is a cancellation.
Need help?
If you’ve got a question about the HM Land Registry Design System, contact the team.