THE Land Registry has recorded its first ever "digital mortgage deed" signed online.

It said a "sign your mortgage deed" service will mean borrowers no longer need to put pen to paper while witnesses watch, saving time and cutting out the risk of documents getting lost in the post. They will be able to log in and sign their deed at a time when it suits them.

The new digital mortgage service is still being tested and could become more widely available in the coming months, as part of efforts to simplify the home buying process. Once a borrower's identity has been confirmed, they get a code to input which shows they are the person signing the deed.

The Land Registry said the registration of the deed for a house in Rotherhithe, London, follows months of collaboration and testing with Coventry Building Society and Enact Conveyancing.

Land Registry chief executive Graham Farrant said: "We are looking forward to rolling this out nationally and will be working with more conveyancers and lenders to do so."