Is the title to your church property registered with the Land Registry?
Many churches have never registered the legal title to their property. Often this is because trustees have remained unchanged for many years.
In other cases, trustees are simply unaware that registration is now a legal requirement in certain circumstances.
Since 2009, when a new trustee is appointed to an unincorporated charity that owns land or buildings, the title to that property must be registered with the Land Registry. This requirement does not apply in the same way to charitable companies or CIOs, but it is particularly relevant for churches that operate as trusts.
Why registering your title matters
Beyond the legal requirement, registering your church property title brings several important practical benefits.
It helps to:
- protect your property from someone else attempting to register ownership of all or part of it without your knowledge
- reduce the risk of boundary disputes or neighbouring land being encroached upon
- remove reliance on paper deeds, which can be lost, damaged, or destroyed
Registering the title provides clarity, security and peace of mind — both now and for the future.
How Church Growth Trust’s custodian trusteeship can help
Once a title is registered, it normally needs to be updated every time a new trustee is appointed. This can be time consuming and costly, particularly for churches where trustees change regularly.
Church Growth Trust’s custodian trusteeship service offers a simple and reliable alternative.
Under this arrangement:
- Church Growth Trust holds the legal title to the property
- decision making responsibility remains with the local church trustees (often called the managing trustees)
- no changes to governance or church control are required
This means churches no longer need to complete a transfer of title every time trustees change, avoiding repeated legal work and Land Registry fees. It also removes the risk of a title being left in the names of trustees who have died or moved on.
Who is this service for?
Custodian trusteeship is relevant for:
- trustees of unincorporated charities
- churches or charities that own buildings or land
The service applies to property ownership only and does not extend to other assets such as investments or shares.
Benefits of appointing Church Growth Trust as custodian trustee
Churches that appoint Church Growth Trust as custodian trustee benefit from:
- Continuity and security
The legal title remains safely held, regardless of changes in local trustees.
- Reduced costs and administration
No need for repeated title transfers, legal fees, or Land Registry updates.
- Secure document storage
Title deeds and related trust documents are stored safely in fire-proof cabinets, with secure digital access through our document storage service.
- Access to trusted advice
Churches also gain access to Stewardship’s Consultancy Helpline, offering telephone and email advice on property, trusteeship, insurance and related matters.
Find out more
If you think custodian trusteeship might be helpful for your church, our guide to our Custodian Trusteeship Service explains how the arrangement works, what it costs, and what would be involved.
It answers common questions about:
- how Church Growth Trust holds the legal title
- how local trustees remain in control
- the practical benefits for your church
- the steps needed to put the arrangement in place
👉 Read about our Custodian Trusteeship service
If you would prefer to talk things through, we are very happy to help.
Giles Arnold
📞 01536 647164
✉️ giles.arnold@churchgrowth.org.uk
Conversations are always handled with care and in confidence.
Want to understand the registration process in more detail?
Our practical guide, “Church properties – do we need to register the title?”, provides fuller information about why registration matters, the legal background, and the steps trustees may be required to take.
It is a useful reference if you would like to explore the subject more deeply before deciding what to do next.
