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SCHEDULE 1AMENDMENTS TO PARTS 2 TO 10 AND 13 TO 16 OF THE PRINCIPAL RULES

Amendment to rule 216

35.  For rule 216 and the italic heading and heading before it, substitute—

Land Registry – when open for business

Days on which the Land Registry is open for business

216.(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the land registry shall be open for business daily except on—

(a)Saturdays, Sundays, Christmas Day and Good Friday, or

(b)any other day—

(i)specified or declared by proclamation under section 1 of the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971,

(ii)appointed by the Secretary of State, or

(iii)certified as an interrupted day under paragraph (5).

(2) If the registrar is satisfied that adequate arrangements have been made or will be in place for opening the land registry for business on any or all of the days referred to in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph (1), he may, in such manner as he considers appropriate, give notice to that effect.

(3) On and after the date specified in any notice given pursuant to paragraph (2), paragraph (1) shall have effect as though the relevant day or days referred to in sub-paragraphs (a) or (b), as specified in the notice, had been omitted.

(4) The date specified in any notice referred to in paragraph (3) must be at least eight weeks after the date of the notice.

(5) The registrar may certify any day as an interrupted day if he is satisfied that on that day there is likely to be—

(a)a general delay in, or failure of, a communication service in England and Wales, or

(b)any other event or circumstance,

causing a substantial interruption in the normal operation of the land registry.

(6) The registrar must give notice of any certification under paragraph (5) in such manner as he considers appropriate.

(7) Any certification under paragraph (5) must take place before the start of the day being certified.

(8) In this rule, “communication service” means a service by which documents may be sent and delivered and includes a post service, a document exchange service and electronic communications.

(9) The registrar may make such arrangements as he sees fit for personal attendance by members of the public for the purpose of land registry business on any business day or days, and such attendance may be—

(a)by appointment only,

(b)limited to specified times,

(c)at a specified office or offices of the land registry or any other specified location, and

(d)limited to specified services,

and the registrar shall in such manner as he considers appropriate give notice to that effect.