HM Land Registry publishes guidance on amalgamations and mergers

Article summary

HM Land Registry (HMLR) has published a blog post on the distinction between an amalgamation and a merger. Amalgamation combines multiple land parcels under a single title, for amalgamation to proceed, the estates must be the same including tenure, the class of title must be the same and the proprietor must be the same and hold the estate in the same capacity. HMLR then assesses each case individually, prioritising applications benefitting multiple purchasers or addressing discrepancies. Conversely, a merger fuses two or more estates, such as leasehold into freehold, requiring both estates to be in the same ownership and held in the same capacity and there must be an intention that merger take place.