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Land Registry

Form DS1: cancelling a mortgage

A repaid mortgage stays on the register until someone removes it. Lender traced, DS1 obtained, entry cancelled, one fixed fee, agreed in writing.

HM Land Registry publishes the current form on GOV.UK. Send us a question about it and we reply by email.

Form DS1 is the deed by which a lender confirms that a registered charge has been repaid, so HM Land Registry can cancel the mortgage entries. Property Law Online traces the lender, obtains the executed DS1 or the evidence that replaces it, and clears the register so the property can be sold or remortgaged, across England and Wales.

What does form DS1 ask for, panel by panel?

Form DS1 is one of the shortest HM Land Registry forms, eight panels on two pages, and it is completed and executed as a deed by the lender, not by the owner. One thing to know before lodging: a DS1 is a deed of discharge, not an application, and it cannot go in on its own. Rule 114(5) of the Land Registration Rules 2003 requires the application to register the discharge to be made on form AP1 or form DS2, and the DS1 rides with it. A DS3 release is not the same: that one must go in on an AP1 only. Panel numbering below follows the 06/19 edition, the one HM Land Registry publishes as at 19 September 2026; take the form from the registry's own page on the day you lodge and read the date code in its footer rather than the date shown on the publication page.

The form is prescribed by the Land Registration Rules 2003. The discharge process and the electronic alternatives are covered in HM Land Registry Practice Guide 31; where a lender cannot sign, the registrar acts on other evidence under rule 114(4).

PanelWhat it asks forCommon mistakes
1, Title number(s)The registered title number of the propertyBlank; a title number for a different part of the lender's security
2, PropertyFull address with postcode, or a descriptionDoes not match the property register
3, DateThe date of the discharge, with the register entry number where more than one charge existsUndated; entry number missing where the lender holds two charges
4, Date of chargeThe date the charge was made, as shown in the charges registerWrong date, so HM Land Registry cannot match the discharge to the entry
5, LenderThe lender's full name, with company registration number or overseas entity detailsTrading name; successor name with no evidence of the change
6, AcknowledgementThe lender acknowledges that the property is no longer charged as security for the sums due under the chargeWording altered or qualified
7, Date of HM Land Registry facility letterWhere the lender signs under a facility letter rather than as a deed, its dateLeft blank by a lender relying on a facility letter; completed where none exists
8, ExecutionThe lender executes as a deed with a witness, or signs as its facility letter allowsNo witness; unauthorised signatory; company execution not in the Companies Act form

Can I get a mortgage removed from the register myself?

Often, yes, where the lender is a current institution and the loan was repaid recently. You ask the lender for a DS1 or, more likely, it discharges electronically once the final payment clears and you need do nothing. There is no HM Land Registry fee. Practice Guide 67 does list a paper DS1 or DS3 among the applications needing evidence of identity, but read what it asks for: it is the lender whose identity has to be evidenced, not the borrower, and not the lender's agent (updated 1 September 2026, checked 20 September 2026). So an owner lodging a DS1 is not normally the person being checked.

The difficulty comes with old charges. The lender on the register has merged twice and nobody at the successor knows the account; the records were destroyed; or the lender was a private company dissolved years ago. Then it is a matter of tracing, evidence and persuasion, and of knowing what HM Land Registry will accept instead of a signature. That is what people instruct a licensed conveyancer for, usually with a sale already agreed and a buyer's representative waiting.

Doing it yourselfWith Property Law Online
Current lender, recent repaymentAsk the lender; usually discharged electronicallyThe same, chased and confirmed on the register
Tracing a lender that has changed handsYour own researchSuccessor traced through Companies House and the Financial Services Register
Evidence of repayment for an old loanYou find what records surviveAssembled and presented in the form HM Land Registry accepts
Lender dissolved or deceasedNo obvious routeApplication on evidence, with a statement of truth, under rule 114(4) of the Land Registration Rules 2003
Checking the DS1 before lodgingYou compare it with the registerChecked against every entry, including linked restrictions
Identity evidenceForm ID1, if requiredCovered by our verification and certificate
Timing with a saleYour own coordinationTimed with completion so the buyer registers a clean title
CostNo HM Land Registry fee; your timeOne fixed fee, in writing; still no HM Land Registry fee

What if the lender no longer exists?

A charge does not lapse because the lender has gone. If the lending company was dissolved, its property, including the benefit of the charge, passed to the Crown as bona vacantia, and the Government Legal Department's Bona Vacantia Division, or the relevant Duchy, will not release it for nothing. Its published guidance BVC5 says it will consent to removal of the charge once any outstanding amount has been repaid, will look at evidence where you say nothing is outstanding, will not consent where that evidence is insufficient, and charges its own costs of 500 pounds plus VAT (BVC5 updated 1 May 2025, checked 20 September 2026). There is a second route: a company dissolved within the last six years can be restored to the register, administratively under section 1024 of the Companies Act 2006 on the application of a former director or member, or by the court under sections 1029 to 1032, which is open to a wider class including a person with an interest in the land. Restoration revives the company so the charge can be discharged in the ordinary way. If a private lender has died, their personal representatives can sign, but only with a grant and only if they can be found.

Where the debt was plainly repaid but nobody can sign, HM Land Registry can cancel the entries on an application supported by evidence: bank statements or a completion statement showing redemption, correspondence from the lender at the time, a statement of truth from the owner, and anything showing the lender treated the loan as closed. HM Land Registry may serve notice on the lender's last known address or successor before cancelling. Where the evidence is thin, a buyer may accept indemnity insurance against the charge being enforced instead. An outcome we raise with you early rather than after months of searching.

Why does HM Land Registry reject form DS1?

  • Not executed as a deed

    A DS1 must be signed by the lender as a deed, with a witness for an individual, or in the Companies Act form for a company, or signed in the manner set out in a facility letter agreed with HM Land Registry. Rule 114(3) of the Land Registration Rules 2003 puts it as executed as a deed, or authenticated in such other manner as the registrar may approve, and the facility letter is that second limb (checked 20 September 2026). A DS1 signed by a branch manager with no witness and no facility letter referred to in panel 7 meets neither, and the discharge is requisitioned or treated as unevidenced. Practice Guide 8 covers execution generally, updated 14 September 2026, and Practice Guide 31 covers discharges, updated 1 June 2026.

  • Wrong charge details

    The title number, the date of the charge in panel 4 and the lender's name in panel 5 must match the register entry exactly. Where there are two charges to the same lender, the register entry number must be given. A DS1 that could refer to either charge is rejected.

  • Lender name has changed

    The lender named on the register is not the entity that now signs. HM Land Registry needs the chain, a certificate of change of name, a transfer of the mortgage book, or a statutory instrument, before it will accept the successor's signature.

  • Lender has ceased to exist

    A DS1 cannot be signed by a company that has been dissolved. The application is instead to cancel the entries on evidence that the debt was repaid, which HM Land Registry examines closely under its rule 114(4) discretion. Practice Guide 31 does not set out a route for this, so there is no published procedure to point you at (guide read 20 September 2026). Where the charge itself has passed to the Crown, the Bona Vacantia Division deals with it, and its own guidance is the source for what it will want.

When do you need form DS1?

Most mortgages from banks and building societies are now discharged electronically. The lender sends an electronic discharge straight to HM Land Registry and the entries disappear without a form. A DS1 is the paper route, and it is needed where the lender is not set up for electronic discharge: a private or family lender who took a CH1, a bridging or specialist lender, or a historic charge that was repaid decades ago and never removed. Where the lender has been dissolved or cannot be traced, a different route applies.

A private or family loan repaid
The lender who took a charge on form CH1, a parent, a friend, a company, signs the DS1 once repaid. Private lenders are rarely set up for electronic discharge, so the paper form is the norm.
A historic charge still on the register
A mortgage repaid twenty or thirty years ago that nobody removed. It surfaces when the owner comes to sell and the buyer's representative finds it in the charges register.
A charge from a lender that has changed hands
The building society on the register merged, was taken over or transferred its mortgage book. The successor institution has to be traced before anyone can sign.
A lender that has been dissolved
A company lender struck off the register, or a private lender who has died. The DS1 cannot be signed, so the application relies instead on rule 114(4) of the Land Registration Rules 2003, which lets the registrar accept any other proof that the charge has been satisfied that he regards as sufficient (checked 20 September 2026).
A charge on part only
Where the lender is releasing a plot being sold off but keeping its security over the rest, the form is a DS3, not a DS1. See transfer of part.
Not right for
A mainstream mortgage being redeemed on a sale or remortgage: the lender discharges electronically and your conveyancer handles it as part of completion. And not for a charge that has not actually been repaid. A lender will not sign, and cannot be made to.

What does our form DS1 service include?

One fixed fee covers tracing the lender, obtaining and checking the discharge, and clearing the register. Where the lender no longer exists and evidence has to be assembled instead, that is quoted before you instruct.

  • Register check

    Official copies of the title register obtained. We identify every charge entry, the lender named, the date of the charge, and any related restriction or notice that should come off with it.

  • Lender traced

    Where the lender on the register no longer trades under that name, we trace the successor through Companies House records, the Financial Services Register and the lender's own successor arrangements.

  • Evidence of repayment assembled

    A redemption statement, a closing letter, bank records or old correspondence showing the loan was cleared. Needed to persuade a successor lender to sign, and essential where no lender can be found.

  • DS1 obtained and checked

    The form sent to the lender for execution as a deed, then checked on return: correct title number, correct charge date, correct lender name, properly witnessed.

  • Application lodged

    The DS1 lodged with form DS2 on its own, or under form AP1 where it is part of a larger application, which is what rule 114(5) of the Land Registration Rules 2003 requires. There is no HM Land Registry fee, under article 10 of and Schedule 4 paragraph 4 to the Land Registration Fee Order 2024, in force 9 December 2024 (checked 20 September 2026).

  • Register cleared

    Tracked until the charge entries and any linked restriction are cancelled, and the clean register sent to you.

How is a mortgage removed from the register?

Five stages. Identifying who now holds the charge is the step that takes the time on an old mortgage.

  1. Register checked

    We obtain the official copies and identify the charge, the lender and the date, plus any restriction entered in the lender's favour.

    Day 1

  2. Lender identified

    For a current lender, straightforward. For an old charge, we trace who now holds the book. Often a larger bank several mergers on.

    Days 1 to 10, depending on the lender's history

  3. Repayment evidenced

    A redemption statement or closing letter for a recent loan; for an old one, whatever records survive. Where the lender no longer exists, a statement of truth is prepared setting out the history.

    Weeks 1 to 3

  4. DS1 executed

    The lender signs the DS1 as a deed with a witness, or under the terms of a facility letter it holds with HM Land Registry. We check it before lodging.

    Weeks 2 to 4, set by the lender

  5. Lodged and cancelled

    The discharge is lodged and HM Land Registry cancels the charge entries. Where a sale is waiting, this is timed with completion.

    HM Land Registry processing, usually a few weeks for a discharge (HM Land Registry published figures, checked 19 September 2026)

How long does a discharge take to register?

Two to four weeks for a current or easily traced lender to issue the DS1, then HM Land Registry's own time. Discharges are routine and usually completed within a few weeks (HM Land Registry published figures, checked 19 September 2026). A historic charge with a lender to trace and evidence to assemble takes longer, commonly two to three months. Where a sale is waiting, the discharge is timed with completion so the buyer registers a clean title.

What changes the timescale

  • Whether the lender still exists under the name on the register
  • How quickly the lender issues an executed DS1
  • Whether evidence of repayment survives for an old loan
  • Whether a linked restriction or notice has to be cancelled at the same time
The stagesExample
  1. Register checked
  2. Lender identified
  3. Repayment evidencedIn progress
  4. DS1 executed
  5. Lodged and cancelled
An illustration of how a matter moves through these stages. We tell you when each one is done.

What does cancelling a charge cost?

Property Law Online is not yet taking instructions, so there is no fee to quote today. This section explains how the cost of this work is usually made up.

Cancelling a charge is quoted as one fixed fee before you instruct us, in writing. No HM Land Registry fee applies to this application, because the discharge of a registered charge is exempt under the Land Registration Fee Order 2024 (in force from 9 December 2024) (checked 19 September 2026), so our fee is the only cost unless the lender charges for issuing the form. Tell us who the lender is and when the loan was repaid, and we reply by email.

Usually covered by the professional fee

  • Register check and charge identification
  • Lender traced through successor institutions
  • Evidence of repayment assembled
  • DS1 obtained, checked and lodged
  • Tracking and the clean register sent to you

Paid to others, passed on at cost

  • HM Land Registry fee, none is payable for a discharge under the current fee order, article 10 and Schedule 4 paragraph 4 (checked 20 September 2026)
  • Any fee the lender charges for a redemption statement or for sealing the DS1
  • Companies House or other search fees where a dissolved lender has to be traced
  • A statutory declaration or statement of truth where no lender can be found. Quoted separately if needed

What can add to it: a lender that has to be traced through several mergers, a dissolved lender where evidence of repayment must be assembled, or a linked restriction that has to be cancelled as well. Each is quoted before you instruct, never afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

My mortgage is paid off but still shows on the register, why?

Because a discharge was never lodged, or the lender never issued one. Repaying the loan ends the debt; it does not, on its own, change the register. Modern lenders discharge electronically when the final payment clears, but older loans, private loans and some specialist lenders need a DS1 lodged. It has to be cleared before a sale can complete cleanly.

What documents do I need to remove a charge from the register?

The title number, the lender's name and the charge date from the register, and evidence the loan was repaid: a redemption statement, a closing letter, or bank records showing the final payment. For a private lender, their contact details. For an old loan, any correspondence you kept. We obtain the official copies and tell you what else, if anything, is needed.

Is there an HM Land Registry fee for a DS1?

No. Cancelling a discharged charge carries no HM Land Registry fee, under article 10 of and Schedule 4 paragraph 4 to the Land Registration Fee Order 2024, in force 9 December 2024 (checked 20 September 2026). The lender may charge for a redemption statement or for sealing the form, and our fixed fee covers the work of tracing, checking and lodging. There is no charge from HM Land Registry itself.

What is the difference between a DS1 and an electronic discharge?

A DS1 is a paper deed the lender signs. There are two electronic routes and they are not the same thing. An electronic discharge, ED, is sent by the lender's own computer system direct to HM Land Registry and cancels the entries automatically. An e-DS1 is a form of discharge submitted by a lender or its authorised agent through the portal. A third route, electronic notification of discharge or END, was discontinued on 3 January 2010 (Practice Guide 31 sections 5 to 7, updated 1 June 2026, checked 20 September 2026). Most high street lenders use an electronic route; private and smaller lenders use the DS1.

Do I need to remove an old charge before selling?

Yes. A buyer's representative will require the register to be clear of every charge before completion, or an undertaking from a conveyancer that it will be. An old charge that surfaces late can delay completion. Our selling service checks the register at the outset so it is dealt with before contracts are exchanged.

How long does a lender have to issue a DS1?

There is no statutory deadline. A lender should discharge promptly once repaid, and most institutions do so within a few weeks; private lenders vary. There is no Mortgage Conduct of Business rule setting one either: MCOB deals with a borrower's right to repay early, not with how quickly a lender must clear the charge off the register (sourcebook checked 20 September 2026). Where a lender is slow, a formal request with evidence of redemption, and if necessary a reminder that it is holding security for a debt that no longer exists, usually resolves it.

Can a restriction in the lender's favour be removed with the DS1?

Usually, yes. Many charges come with a restriction requiring the lender's consent to any disposition. When the charge is cancelled, HM Land Registry will normally cancel a restriction expressed to be in favour of the proprietor of that charge automatically; a restriction that does not specifically refer to the charge being discharged must be withdrawn separately, and the form for that is RX4 rather than RX3, because the lender is the beneficiary of its own restriction (Practice Guide 31 section 8, updated 1 June 2026, checked 20 September 2026). There is no fee for either form, under Schedule 4 paragraph 7 to the Land Registration Fee Order 2024.

Related forms and services

Sources and further reading

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