What is the effect of a Unilateral Notice shown in the Charges Register of a registered title?

• A. It confirms the interest is valid and enforceable against all third parties.
• B. It gives notice of a claimed third party interest and protects its priority, but does not guarantee validity.
• C. It voids any prior liens on the title.
• D. It prevents registration of the interest in the land register.

Answer: (B)

A unilateral notice in the Charges Register is a warning that a third-party claim exists in relation to the land. It’s put on the register to protect the claimant’s position by preserving priority over later dealings with the title. In practice, this means if someone later tries to deal with the title—such as selling or charging it—the unilateral notice signals that another interest might affect those dealings and must be considered.

The key point is that the notice does not prove that the underlying interest is valid or enforceable. It simply flags the claim and ensures that its priority is not lost if the title changes hands or if a new charge is registered. The actual validity of the interest would still have to be determined separately under the applicable law.

A unilateral notice remains on the title until it is discharged or the underlying interest is resolved, and it does not void existing liens or prevent registration of the interest in the first place.