On February 28, 2025, the Registration of Titles and Land (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2025 was gazetted in LegCo, aiming to transition Hong Kong's land registration system from a deeds registration system to a title registration system.
This article was generated using SAMS, an AI technology by Timothy Loh LLP.
SPOTLIGHT ON
FAMILY OFFICES
On February 28, 2025, the Registration of Titles and Land (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2025 was gazetted in LegCo, aiming to transition Hong Kong's land registration system from a deeds registration system to a title registration system.
The bill proposes to implement the title registration system on 'new land' first, which is land held under a Government lease granted on or after the date on which the Land Titles Ordinance ("LTO") comes into operation. This phased approach, known as the 'New Land First' proposal, seeks to provide certainty to land titles progressively.
The bill includes provisions to provide title certificates with advanced anti-forgery features, to disapply adverse possession on 'new land,' and to establish an Indemnity Fund to compensate innocent former owners in cases of fraud.
The bill also addresses the conversion of existing land, which will continue to be registered under the current deeds registration system until a comprehensive plan is developed in consultation with key stakeholders. The Government has not yet determined the form, pace, or process of this conversion but has initiated research to assess the extent and nature of problematic registers.
The implementation of the title registration system on 'new land' is expected to begin in the first half of 2027, pending the passage of the bill and necessary subsidiary legislation by the end of 2025.
View the full article:Source
