Commentary on the Sections Quality of title Section 62: Power to upgrade title
109.Section 9 sets out the three grades of title which with freehold title can be registered and section 10 sets out the four grades of title with which leasehold land may be registered. Section 62 empowers the registrar to upgrade to absolute any of the lesser titles when he is satisfied as to the title to that estate or, in the case of good leasehold title, satisfied as to the title to the superior estate. The registrar may also upgrade possessory title to absolute for either leasehold or freehold land if the proprietor is in possession and at least 12 years has elapsed since possessory title was first registered. The length of this period coincides with the length of the period after which most classes of landowner would have lost their right to reclaim the land under the Limitation Acts. There is power in subsection (9) for the Lord Chancellor to change that period by order, for use if limitation periods should change. The section lists the persons who have a right to apply for the upgrading of the title but also provides that if there is a claim outstanding at the time that the power to upgrade would be exercised, which is protected by the fact that a lower grade of title has been awarded, then the registrar cannot exercise his power.