Document(s): 

final_version_article_for_scl_13_march_2018_pdf.pdf

External link: 

https://www.scl.org/articles/10167-digital-ambition-hm-land-registry-s-digital-t...

Author(s): 

Richard Oliphant

Year of publication: 

2018

Here is an article I wrote for the UK legal journal, The Society of Computing and the Law, this week. I welcome HM Land Registry's new digital services that will modernise conveyancing and land registration for the Digital Age. But I argue that this 'digital transformation' could be accelerated if the Land Registry were to collaborate with the leading e-signature platforms like DocuSign and Adobe.

It is noteworthy that HM Land Registry is requiring an "advanced electronic signature" (AES) meeting the requirements of Article 26 eIDAS. There are scarely any statutory requirements to use an AES to transact under English law. It will be interesting to see if other public bodies mandate the use of an AES to transact other business in the future. In any event, the best e-signature platforms offer more ways of verifying the identity of a signatory than the UK government's preferred partner, VERIFY.GOV.UK - and this matters in the case of an AES where parties are seeking more robust identity assurance.

Please feel free to share the article and raise any issues with me (richard.oliphant@gmail.com)